Vaccinium scoparium

Vaccinium scoparium
flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Vaccinium
Species: V. scoparium
Binomial name
Vaccinium scoparium
Leiberg ex Coville

Vaccinium scoparium is a species of huckleberry known by the common names grouse whortleberry, grouseberry, and littleleaf huckleberry.

It is native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta to far northern California to Colorado and New Mexico. It grows in mountain habitat such as forests, meadows, and talus, occurring in subalpine and alpine climates at elevations of 700 to 3000 meters. It is a dominant understory plant in many forested regions of the Rocky Mountains, being common to abundant in some areas.[1]

Description

Vaccinium scoparium is a squat, bushy rhizomatous shrub growing not more than half a meter in maximum height. It its matted and clumpy, and it spreads outward with the stems rooting at nodes where it comes in contact with moist substrate. The branches are broomlike when leaflike and new green twigs have sharp angles. The deciduous leaves are alternately arranged, the serrated oval leaf blades up to 1.5 centimeters in length.

Solitary flowers occur in the leaf axils. Each is about 4 millimeters long, urn-shaped, and pink in color.

The fruit is a soft, bright red berry up to 6 millimeters in width. It is edible and has a tart flavor.[2]

Uses

Wildlife

This shrub provides food for many large mammal species, such as elk, mule deer, and bears, and many smaller animals, such as squirrels, foxes, skunks, and a variety of birds.[1]

Culinary

The berries were utilized for food by many Native American groups, including the Kootenay, Okanogan, and Shuswap. They are small and difficult to collect in large quantities, and Native people likely used combs made of wood or fishbones to harvest them.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 US Forest Service Fire Ecology
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Flora of North America

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vaccinium scoparium.