Arctostaphylos montana
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Mt. Tamalpais manzanita
bear-berry, bousserole, common bearberry, kinnikinnick, kinnikinnik, mealberry, raisin d'ours, red bearberry, sandberry
petiole 2–6 mm;
blade dark green, shiny, orbiculate-elliptic to elliptic, 1–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm, base rounded to cuneate, margins entire, plane, surfaces smooth, puberulent, glabrescent.
separated proximally, overlapping distally, bifacial;
petiole 2–4 mm;
blade light green abaxially, dark green adaxially, shiny, usually oblanceolate to obovate, sometimes narrowly elliptic, 1–2.5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, base cuneate (not clasping), margins entire, often cupped, surfaces smooth, sparsely puberulent, glabrescent.
panicles, 1–3-branched;
immature inflorescence pendent, (branches compact), axis 0.5–1.5 cm, 1+ mm diam., densely white short-hairy;
bracts tightly appressed, scalelike, ovate, 2–5 mm, apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous.
racemes (simple or 1-branched);
immature inflorescence pendent, (congested), axis 0.3–1 cm, 1+ mm diam., usually sparsely short-hairy, sometimes long-hairy or short glandular-hairy;
bracts not appressed, scalelike, narrowly deltate, 2–6 mm (larger than buds), apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous.
3–6 mm, glabrous.
2–4 mm, glabrous.
corolla white, conic to urceolate;
ovary glabrous.
corolla white to pink, urceolate;
ovary glabrous.
globose, 4–8 mm diam., glabrous.
globose, 6–12 mm diam., glabrous.
distinct.
distinct.
= 26, 52.
Arctostaphylos montana
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi exhibits great variation in indument associated with the young twigs. Most of this variation has historically been separated into subspecies, except that a recent analysis of the group suggested environmentally-based variation in these characters (T. J. Rosatti 1987b). This is the most widely distributed of all Arctostaphylos species and is the only one found outside of North America. Two ploidy levels are common, and populations sometimes contain both diploids and tetraploids. More work on this widespread species will likely elucidate its variation in morphology and ploidy. Infraspecific taxa may well be recognized once these patterns are further assessed.
A form with striking deep red to purple autumnal corollas (often blooming also in spring with normal-colored corollas) occurs on Cape Cod and Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
Most populations lack burls and are killed by fire; throughout the range in North America are occasional populations or individuals that have small, sometimes epicormic burls. This has been noted in California, parts of Canada, and New York. With more observations this distribution may become clearer.
A form with somewhat puberulent and larger leaves has been described as Arctostaphylos ×media Greene. It occurs along the northern California coast and in Oregon and Washington. It is assumed to be a hybrid between A. uva-ursi and A. columbiana. Similarly, in the Rocky Mountains in areas with both A. uva-ursi and A. patula, hybrids have been called A. coloradensis Rollins.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Fruits 6-8 mm diam.; plants mound-forming or erect; leaf blades orbiculate-elliptic to elliptic, 1-2.5 × 1-1.5 cm; young twigs white-tomentose. | subsp. montana |
1. Fruits 4-5 mm diam.; plants prostrate; leaf blades orbiculate-elliptic, 1-2 × 1-1.5 cm; young twigs gray-tomentose. | subsp. ravenii |
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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