Volume 2 — PLATE CXL. VACCINIUM FRONDOSUM. Obtuse-leaved 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 one petal. Threads fixed into the receptacle. A berry with four cells and many seeds.

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

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Vaccinium racemis foliosis; pedicellis bracteatis; corollis campanulatis; foliis obtusis, oblongis, subtus sub-glaucis, deciduis. Stamina decem.

Whortle-berry with small leaves on the flower-stems; foot-stalks of the flowers with leaflets; blossoms bell-shaped; leaves, obtuse, oblong, rather glaucous underneath and deciduous. Ten Chives.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement, natural size. 2. The Chives and Pointal, magnified. 3. A nearly ripe Berry cut transversely.

The Obtuse-leaved Whortle-berry was introduced, according to the Kew Catalogue, Vol. II. p. 12, from North America, in the year 1770 by Mr. William Young; but nevertheless, although said to be an inhabitant of our gardens so long as 20 years, it is, we believe, known to very few cultivators. It is a deciduous shrub, growing to the height of about two or three feet; and will, in general, survive the inclemency of our winters.

It is increased with difficulty by layers, and the berries seldom ripen with us; light peat earth, with a small mixture of loam, it thrives in most. The drawing for our figure was taken, from the Hibbertian collection, in July 1800. This species has likewise ten Chives, five divisions of the cup, &c.

PLATE 140