Vaccinium ovalifolium

Vaccinium ovalifolium

Vaccinium ovalifolium is a species of the genus of blueberries (Vaccinium ) in the family Ericaceae ( Ericaceae ). They are found in northern and western North America and north-eastern Asia.

Description

Vaccinium ovalifolium grows as a group- forming shrub, reaching heights of growth from 30 to 400 centimeters. Large groups are formed only rarely. The terete to slightly angular branches sometimes have a smooth or hairy in lines and yellowish-green to golden- brown colored bark.

The elliptic to ovate, or rarely wrong - ovate leaves are 25 to 39 millimeters long and 16 to 20 millimeters wide. The leaf margin is serrated smooth or indistinct. While the upper leaf surface is colored light green, the lower leaf surface is dark green.

In its heyday in the early spring to late summer globular flowers are formed. The light green or frosted sepals are fused at their base and bare. be colored. The pink, greenish- white or pink - bronze -colored petals are almost completely fused spherical to pitcher -shaped and have a length of 5 to 7 mm and a diameter of 4 to 5 millimeters. The stamens are glabrous or hairy at their base.

Are formed with a diameter of 8 to 10 millimeters blue to matte black purple or black, sometimes frosted berries. The seeds have a size of about 1 mm.

The chromosome number is 2n = 24, 48

Occurrence

The natural range of Vaccinium ovalifolium includes the western and northern North America and the North East Asia. In North America, it extends from Alaska and the Yukon in the north to Oregon, Idaho, South Dakota and Michigan in the south. The eastern limit of distribution runs through Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. In Asia, the species occurs in Kamchatka, the Kurile Islands, in Primorye and on Hokkaido, Honshu and Sakhalin.

One finds the way in coniferous forests and adjacent transition zones and along roadsides and peaty slopes at altitudes 0-2100 meters.

System

Vaccinium ovalifolium in 1819 by James Edward Smith, The Cyclopaedia; or, Universial dictionary of arts, ..., 36 (2): Vaccinium no 2 first described. Vaccinium ovalifolium Sm A synonym for Vaccinium is alaskaense Howell. Vaccinium ovalifolium belongs to the section of the genus Vaccinium myrtillus out in the genus Vaccinium.

There are three varieties:

• Vaccinium ovalifolium var alpinum ( Tatew. ) T.Yamaz. occurs on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō.
• Vaccinium ovalifolium Sm ovalifolium var occurs in North America and in most of the Asian distribution area.
• Vaccinium ovalifolium var sachalinense T.Yamaz. occurs on the islands of Sakhalin and Hokkaido.

Use

The berries are eaten raw or cooked and have a sweet taste. To make them durable, they are also dried and then taste like raisins. Therefore, they are also grown. The medical effects have been investigated.

Swell

• Template: Internet resource / maintenance / access date is not in the ISO FormatSam P. Vander Kloet: Vaccinium ovalifolium. In: Flora of North America. www.eFloras.org, accessed on 8 December 2010 (English ). Volume 8, 2009, p 515