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dingleberry, southern mountain cranberry

red huckleberry

Habit Plants crown-forming, sometimes suckering when injured, 10–70 dm, not rhizomatous; twigs of current season green, sharply angled, glabrous or minutely puberulent in lines; (short lateral branches on both orthotropic and plagiotropic shoots often divaricate to 75° giving shrub a distinct fasciculate aspect).
Leaf

blades dark green, ovate to oblong-elliptic, 13–25 × 8–14 mm, margins entire, surfaces puberulent or glabrous abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

Flowers

calyx pale green, lobes spreading, distinct, broadly ovate, 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous;

corolla pink, bronze, or yellowish green, globose to urceolate, 4–6 × 3–5 mm, thin, glaucous;

filaments glabrous.

Berries

red, sometimes faintly glaucous, translucent, 7–10 mm diam.

Seeds

ca. 1 mm.

e

United States

2n

= 24.

Vaccinium erythrocarpum

Vaccinium parvifolium

Phenology Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat Coniferous woods, often on stumps and logs, disturbed areas
Elevation 0-1100 m (0-3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
GA; NC; TN; VA; WV; se Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (1 in the flora).

Subspecies japonicum (Miquel) Kloet [V. japonicum Miquel] is disjunct in southeastern Asia (S. P. Vander Kloet and B. A. Bohm 1991).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The red, waxy fruits of Vaccinium parvifolium were popular with all coastal Indian tribes and remain so with recreational pickers. The berries are somewhat sour but make excellent pastries and preserves. Commercial use of V. parvifolium is limited; vigorous growth, ease of harvest, and site adaptability provide opportunities.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 517. FNA vol. 8, p. 522.
Parent taxa Ericaceae > subfam. Vaccinioideae > Vaccinium > sect. Oxycoccoides Ericaceae > subfam. Vaccinioideae > Vaccinium > sect. Myrtillus
Sibling taxa
V. angustifolium, V. arboreum, V. boreale, V. cespitosum, V. corymbosum, V. crassifolium, V. darrowii, V. deliciosum, V. hirsutum, V. macrocarpon, V. membranaceum, V. myrsinites, V. myrtilloides, V. myrtillus, V. ovalifolium, V. ovatum, V. oxycoccos, V. pallidum, V. parvifolium, V. scoparium, V. stamineum, V. tenellum, V. uliginosum, V. vitis-idaea
V. angustifolium, V. arboreum, V. boreale, V. cespitosum, V. corymbosum, V. crassifolium, V. darrowii, V. deliciosum, V. erythrocarpum, V. hirsutum, V. macrocarpon, V. membranaceum, V. myrsinites, V. myrtilloides, V. myrtillus, V. ovalifolium, V. ovatum, V. oxycoccos, V. pallidum, V. scoparium, V. stamineum, V. tenellum, V. uliginosum, V. vitis-idaea
Subordinate taxa
V. erythrocarpum subsp. erythrocarpum
Synonyms Hugeria erythrocarpa, Oxycoccus erectus
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 227. (1803) Smith: in A. Rees, Cycl. 36: Vaccinium no. 3. 1817 ,
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