Volume 2 — PLATE CXII. VACCINIUM DUMOSUM. Bushy Whortle-berry.

CLASS VIII. ORDER I.

OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Eight Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx superus. Corolla monopetala. Filamenta receptaculo inserta. Bacca quadrilocularis, polysperma.

Cup superior. Blossom of one petal. Threads fixed to the receptacle. A Berry with four cells and many seeds.

See Vac. Arctostaphyllos, Pl. XXX. Vol. I.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Vaccinium foliis ovatis, acutis, glabris; floribus solitariis, axillaribus; pedunculis longissimis, bracteatis; corollis urceolatis subalbidis; stamina decem.

Whortle-berry with oval, pointed, smooth leaves; flowers grow solitary from the foot-stalk of the leaves, close to the stem; foot-stalks of the flowers are very long, having floral leaves; blossoms pitcher-shaped, nearly white; ten chives.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A Flower complete. 2. The Cup and its Foot-stalk, with the floral Leaves. 3. The Seed-bud, Pointal, and Chives. 4. The same, magnified. 5. The Shaft and its Summit, magnified.

This species of Whortle-berry is a neat, compact, bushy shrub; and like all the rest of those which have ten chives, and the other parts consonant, can scarcely be considered as a hardy plant; for although it will live through a mild winter, if planted in a warm and dry situation, on an open border; yet it will in general be destroyed, by the severe frosts which happen late in spring. It should be planted in sandy peat earth, with a small portion of light loam; may be propagated by layers, which do not commonly root, sufficiently to be taken off, under two years from the time of their being put down. As a hardy green-house plant it is best preserved in a flourishing state, and will flower about the month of June; in which month, this year, our drawing was made, at the nursery of Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, by whom it was introduced from North America in the year 1783.

PLATE 112