398 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
XX]. 1. THE WHORTLEBERRY. VACCINIUM. L. 
A genus of nearly eighty species of shrubs and undershrubs, 
rarely small trees, occurring most numerously in North America, 
and less frequently in tropical America, Madagascar, northern 
India, the Sandwich Islands, middle and northern Europe and 
northern Asia, with alternate, sometimes evergreen leaves, and 
solitary or racemed flowers and fruit. Most of the species bear 
edible and wholesome berries. The bark and leaves of the 
three Huropean species are very astringent, and have been 
much employed in tanning. The fruit of the Bilberry, V. myr- 
tidlus, the best of the three, is highly esteemed for its agreeably 
acidulous taste. Vinous and alcoholic drinks and vinegar are 
prepared from it. The juice, with lime, verdigris, and sal am- 
moniac, furnishes the painter a beautiful purple color; with 
sulphate of copper and alum, it gives a blue, of no great perma- 
nence, but often used in the preparation of colored paper. The 
name whortleberry, originally given to this species, is derived 
from the Saxon heort-berg or heorot-berg, the hart’s berry. 
Similar uses are made of the Bog Whortleberry, V. uligindsum, 
of Europe, which is inferior in flavor. Of the leaves of this, 
with Lycopodium alpinum, the Icelanders make a yellow dye 
for woollens. 
Most of the whortleberries in New England change their 
leaves in autumn to different deep shades of scarlet and crimson, 
contributing, more than any other family, to the peculiar rich- 
ness of coloring which characterizes our woods at that season. 
Sp.1. Tse Brack Wuortveserry. V. resindsum. Aiton. 
A shrub from eighteen inches to three feet high, rather erect ; 
much branched; the branches slender, and, when young, pu- 
bescent. Stem mahogany color, beneath a semi-transparent, 
pearly epidermis. Leaves on lateral or terminal branches, 
with short petioles, oblong-oval or elliptic, very entire, mostly 
obtuse, thin, profusely dotted beneath with atoms of yellowish 
resinous matter, giving a yellowish green color to the lower 
surface. Flowers on short, lateral racemes, with minute, lance- 
