V A C C I N I U M uliginofum.
G rea t B ilb e r r y .
OCT A N U R I A Monogynia..
Gen. Char. Cor. of i petal. Filaments arifing from
the receptacle. Berry inferior, with 4 cells and
many feeds.
Spec. Char. Flower-ftalks fingle-flowered. Leaves
deciduous, entire, obovate, fmooth and even.
Branches round.
S vn. Vaccinium uliginofum. Linn. Sp. P I. 499.
H u d f.16 4 . TiCth. 370. F I. Dan. t. 231 .
Vitis Idaea magna quibufdam, five Myrtillus grandis.
R ail Syn. 457.
O N marfhy mountainous heaths, but not general in this
ifland. It has hitherto been obferved only in Weftmoreland
and Cumberland, except the Highlands of Scotland. We received
wild fpecimens from the Rev. Mr. Harriman and Mr.
Oliver, whofe favours we have fo often had occafion to acknowledge.
It flowers in April or May, ripening its berries
in Auguft.
This grows taller than the common Bilberry figured in our
plate 45<5> and the Item and branches are round. Leaves deciduous,
obovate, obtufe, rarely inclined to be pointed, entire,
a little revolute, veiny, fmooth and even, not at all rugged,
glaucous beneath. Flowers flefh-coloured, the calyx and corolla
moftly four-cleft. Stamina generally 8, each with
2 horns as in the former fpecies. Berry large, globular, black
with a glaucous hue. Seeds finely ftriated.
The fruit has lefs flavour than the common Bilberry, but
abounds with a weak acid juice. Mr. Lightfoot fays it is apt
to give the head-ache if eaten in any quantity. We do not
know that it is ever ufed as food in England.