''Vaccinium floribundum'', commonly known as mortiño or Andean blueberry, is a slender shrub that grows in the northern

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela at elevations from . It can reach high or it can be dwarf and prostrate. The plant produces an edible fruit, a round berry that is bluish black and

glaucous ''Glaucous'' (, ) is used to describe the pale grey or bluish-green appearance of the surfaces of some plants, as well as in the names of birds, such as the glaucous gull (''Larus hyperboreus''), glaucous-winged gull (''Larus glaucescens''), g ...

, that is collected and eaten raw and used in preserves. It is sold at some markets and is used for

Colada Morada Colada Morada is a drink that is part of Ecuador's gastronomic culture along with t'anta wawa. It is a purple and thick liquid that is prepared with typical fruits of Ecuador, spices and corn flour. This drink is traditionally consumed on Novembe ...

celebrating the Day of the Dead."Berries." Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 1989.
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References

External links

Photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in Peru in 2012
floribundum Flora of South America Berries Plants described in 1819 {{Ericaceae-stub