Vaccinium vitis-idaea |
Vaccinium parvifolium |
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airelle vigne-d'ida, cowberry, foxberry, lingonberry, mountain cranberry, northern mountain cranberry, partridgeberry |
red huckleberry |
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Habit | Plants densely colonial, frequently mat-forming; twigs of previous year green, terete, puberulent, not verrucose. | 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 pale and glandular abaxially, bright green adaxially, elliptic to obovate, 5–18 × 3–9 mm, glaucous-coriaceous, margins entire, slightly revolute. |
blades dark green, ovate to oblong-elliptic, 13–25 × 8–14 mm, margins entire, surfaces puberulent or glabrous abaxially, glabrous adaxially. |
Pedicels | 4–6 mm. |
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Flowers | corolla pinkish white, 3–5 mm; filaments puberulent. |
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, 8–10 mm diam. 2n = 24. |
red, sometimes faintly glaucous, translucent, 7–10 mm diam. |
Seeds | ca. 1 mm. |
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2n | = 24. |
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Vaccinium vitis-idaea |
Vaccinium parvifolium |
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Phenology | Flowering late spring–early summer. | Flowering spring–summer. |
Habitat | Boreal taiga in jack-pine stands, muskegs, raised bogs, dry, rocky barrens, lichen woodlands, exposed habitats, heaths, high moors, headlands, tundras, cliffs, mountain summits | Coniferous woods, often on stumps and logs, disturbed areas |
Elevation | 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft) | 0-1100 m (0-3600 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; CT; MA; ME; MI; MN; NH; VT; WI; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Greenland; n Eurasia; circumboreal
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AK; CA; OR; WA; BC
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Discussion | The distribution of Vaccinium vitis-idaea in North America extends from northwestern Greenland at 77° north latitude, south to Connecticut at 42° north latitude, and from 45° west longitude (southern tip of Greenland) west to 170° west longitude (Aleutian Islands); it is rare in Connecticut (not collected since the late 1800s), Massachusetts, Vermont, and Wisconsin. This species has been erroneously reported from New York; it hybridizes with V. myrtillus in northern Europe, producing V. ×intermedium Ruthe. The hybrid might be anticipated in North America, but the two species are not known to occur together anywhere in the flora area. (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. 520. | FNA vol. 8, p. 522. |
Parent taxa | Ericaceae > subfam. Vaccinioideae > Vaccinium > sect. Vitis-idaea | Ericaceae > subfam. Vaccinioideae > Vaccinium > sect. Myrtillus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. vitis-idaea subsp. minus, V. vitis-idaea var. minus | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 351. (1753) | Smith: in A. Rees, Cycl. 36: Vaccinium no. 3. 1817 , |
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