''Arctous'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of plants referred to by the common name "

bearberry Bearberries (indigenous kinnickinnick) are three species of dwarf shrubs in the genus ''Arctostaphylos''. Unlike the other species of ''Arctostaphylos'' (see manzanita), they are adapted to Arctic and Subarctic climates, and have a circumpolar d ...

", a name sometimes shared with certain species of the related genus ''

Arctostaphylos ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'', in particular, '' A. uva-ursi''. Although the two genera are related, certain characters, such as deciduous,

marcescent Marcescence is the withering and persistence of plant organs that normally are shed, and is a term most commonly applied to plant leaves. The underlying physiological mechanism is that trees transfer water and sap from the roots to the leaves t ...

leaves, rugose-reticulate

venation Venation may refer to: * Venation (botany), the arrangement of veins in leaves * Wing venation, the arrangement of veins in insect wings See also * * Vernation Vernation (from ''vernal'' meaning ''spring'', since that is when leaves spring fort ...

, and finely-toothed leaves are more typical of ''Arctous'' than ''Arctostaphylos''. Species within the genus include the following: *''

Arctous alpina ''Arctous alpina'' ( syn. ''Arctostaphylos alpina''), the alpine bearberry, mountain bearberry or black bearberry, is a dwarf shrub in the heather family Ericaceae. The basionym of this species is ''Arbutus alpina'' . Description ''Arctous alp ...

'' (L.) Nied. *''

Arctous microphyllus ''Arctous'' is a genus of plants referred to by the common name "bearberry", a name sometimes shared with certain species of the related genus ''Arctostaphylos'', in particular, '' A. uva-ursi''. Although the two genera are related, certain chara ...

'' C.Y.Wu *''

Arctous rubra ''Arctous'' is a genus of plants referred to by the common name "bearberry", a name sometimes shared with certain species of the related genus ''Arctostaphylos'', in particular, '' A. uva-ursi''. Although the two genera are related, certain chara ...

'' (Rehder & E.H.Wilson) Nakai

References

Arbutoideae Ericaceae genera {{Ericaceae-stub