THE STRAWBERRY-TREE. 



Arbutus unedo. 



Natural Order — Ericace-<e. 

 Class — Decandria. Order — Monogynia. 



This beautiful evergreen shrub, is better 

 known by its ancient name of Arbutus,^ than 

 by the name which it derives from the fruit to 

 which its berries bear a considerable resemblance. 

 It is frequently mentioned by the Latin poets, 

 as an ornamental tree, which added much grace 

 to the wild rocky scenery of Italy, affording a 

 shady retreat to the weary traveller, and food to 

 the wild goat : — 



" Nunc viridi membra sub Arbuto 

 Stratus, nunc ad aquae lene caput sacrae." 



Horace. 



" Now stretcb'd beneath the Arbutus' green shade 

 And now beside the sacred fountain laid." 



" Jubeo frondentia capris 

 Arbuta sufficias." Virgil. 



" With leafy Arbutus your goats supply." 



We learn from Pliny that it was also called 

 Unedo, or One-I-eat, the fruit not being nice 

 enough to tempt any one to taste a second. He 

 also notices the similarit}^ between its fruit and 



* The correct pronunciation of Arbutus Unedo, is with the accent 

 on the first syllable of each word. 



