See Vol. I. Pl. XXX. Vaccinium Arctostaphyllus.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Vaccinium foliis nitidis, ovatis, acutis, obsolete serratis: floribus umbellatis, terminalibus, pendulis: corollis sub-cylindraceis. Stamina decem: ramis oppositis, alternatis. Caulis pedalis, erectus.
Whortle-berry with shining leaves, egg-shaped, sharp-pointed, and obscurely sawed. Flowers grow in umbels, terminal and pendulous: blossom nearly cylindrical: chives ten: branches opposite, and alternate. Stem a foot high, and upright.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The blossom spread open.
2. The chives spread.
3. A chive magnified.
4. Empalement, seed-bud, and pointal.
The Vaccinium nitidum is one of the handsomest species, but not so often to be met with as many of the genus. It is nearly allied in its foliage to the V. crassifolium; for, if leaves of both were detached, and mixt together, they might be easily mistaken. The habits of the plants are, however, very distinct, as is also the shape of the flowers. During the month of May and beginning of June this plant is in the greatest perfection. After that period the flowers lose much of their fine red colour. Our figure was made from a beautiful little shrub, above a foot high, in the nursery of Messrs. Whitley and Brames.[Pg 97]
