Volume 3 — PLATE CLXXXI. VACCINIUM VIRGATUM. Green-twigged 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 Vaccinium Arctostaphyllos. Pl. XXX. Vol. I.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Vaccinium foliis oblongo-ovatis, ferrulatis, deciduis, ramulis viridibus; floribus, sub-umbellatis, axillaribus; corollis, sub-cylindraceis; calycibus apice reflexis. Staminibus decem.

Whortle-berry with oblong egg-shaped leaves, slightly sawed, deciduous, the small branches green; flowers grow rather umbelled from where the leaves are fixed to the stem; blossoms nearly cylindrical; cups reflexed at the upper part. Ten chives.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A flower complete.

2. The Cup.

3. The Chives, Pointal, and Seed-bud, the cup cut off, magnified.

4. A nearly ripe berry.

This species of Whortle-berry was, according to the Kew Catalogue, introduced by Mr. Young in the year 1770. It is a hardy plant; and, as a native of North America, where it is an under shrub of the woods, should be planted in a shady situation, in peat earth. It is rarely killed by our frosts; grows about two feet high, and loses its leaves in winter. Our drawing was made in June, this year, at the Nursery, Hammersmith, where it is propagated by layers.