''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

s of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the

cranberry Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus '' Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species '' Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...

, blueberry,

bilberry Bilberries (), or sometimes European blueberries, are a primarily Eurasian species of low-growing shrubs in the genus ''Vaccinium'' (family Ericaceae), bearing edible, dark blue berries. The species most often referred to is '' Vaccinium myrtill ...

(whortleberry),

lingonberry ''Vaccinium vitis-idaea'', the lingonberry, partridgeberry, mountain cranberry or cowberry, is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family Ericaceae, that bears edible fruit. It is native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Norther ...

(cowberry), and

huckleberry Huckleberry is a name used in North America for several plants in the family Ericaceae, in two closely related genera: ''Vaccinium'' and '' Gaylussacia''. The huckleberry is the state fruit of Idaho. Nomenclature The name 'huckleberry' is a No ...

. Like many other ericaceous plants, they are generally restricted to

acidic soil Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the n ...

Description

The plant structure varies between species: some trail along the ground, some are dwarf shrubs, and some are larger shrubs perhaps tall. Some tropical species are

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

. Stems are usually woody. Flowers are

epigynous In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule(s) and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the bas ...

with fused petals, and have long styles that protrude from their bell-shaped corollas. Stamens have anthers with extended tube-like structures called "awns" through which pollen falls when mature. Inflorescences can be axillary or terminal. The

develops from an inferior ovary, and is a four- or five-parted berry; it is usually brightly coloured, often being red or bluish with purple juice. Roots are commonly mycorrhizal, which likely help the plants to access nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus in the acidic, nutrient-poor soils they inhabit.

Taxonomy

The genus was first described scientifically by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his Nobility#Ennoblement, ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalise ...

in 1753. The name ''Vaccinium'' was used in

classical Latin Classical Latin is the form of Literary Latin recognized as a literary standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was used from 75 BC to the 3rd century AD, when it developed into Late Latin. In some later period ...

for a plant, possibly the

or a

hyacinth Hyacinth or Hyacinthus may refer to: Nature Plants * Hyacinth (plant), genus ''Hyacinthus'' ** '' Hyacinthus orientalis'', common hyacinth * Grape hyacinth, '' Muscari'', a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia * Hyacinth bean, ''L ...

, and may be derived from the Latin ''bacca'', berry, although its ultimate derivation is obscure. It is not the same word as ''Vaccinum'' "of or pertaining to

cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...

s". The

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

of the genus is complex, and still under investigation. Genetic analyses indicates that the genus ''Vaccinium'' is not monophyletic. A number of the Asian species are more closely related to '' Agapetes'' than to other ''Vaccinium'' species. A second group includes most of '' Orthaea'' and '' Notopora'', at least some of ''

Gaylussacia ''Gaylussacia'' is a genus of about fifty species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to the Americas, where they occur in eastern North America and in South America in the Andes and the mountains of southeastern Brazil (the majo ...

'' (huckleberry), and a number of species from ''Vaccinium'', such as ''

Vaccinium crassifolium ''Vaccinium crassifolium'', the creeping blueberry, is a species of ''Vaccinium'' in the heath family. It is native to the four southeastern U.S. states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. It is an evergreen shrub with shin ...

''. Other parts of ''Vaccinium'' form other groups, sometimes together with species of other genera. The taxonomy of ''Vaccinium'' can either be resolved by enlarging the genus to include the entirety of the tribe

Vaccinieae Vaccinieae is a tribe of over 1000 species in the plant family Ericaceae. The tribe consists of morphologically diverse woody plants. Species within Vaccinieae can be found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Genetic analysis indic ...

, or by breaking the genus up into several different genera.

Subgenera

A classification predating

molecular phylogeny Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

divides ''Vaccinium'' into subgenera, and several sections: ;Subgenus ''Oxycoccus'': The

cranberries Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...

, with slender, trailing, wiry non-woody shoots and strongly reflexed flower petals. Some botanists treat ''Oxycoccus'' as a distinct genus. *Sect. ''Oxycoccus'' **'' Vaccinium macrocarpon'' – American cranberry **''

Vaccinium oxycoccos ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family. It is known as small cranberry, marshberry, bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, or, particularly in Britain, just cranberry. It is widespread throughout the cool temperate ...

'' – common cranberry **'' Vaccinium microcarpum'' – small bog cranberry *Sect. ''Oxycoccoides'' **''

Vaccinium erythrocarpum ''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (wh ...

'' – southern mountain cranberry ;Subgenus ''Vaccinium'': All the other species, with thicker, upright woody shoots and bell-shaped flowers *Sect. ''Batodendron'' **''

Vaccinium arboreum ''Vaccinium arboreum'' (sparkleberry or farkleberry) is a species of ''Vaccinium'' native to the southeastern and south-central United States, from southern Virginia west to southeastern Nebraska, south to Florida and eastern Texas, and north to ...

'' – sparkleberry **''

'' – creeping blueberry *Sect. ''Brachyceratium'' **'' Vaccinium dependens'' *Sect. ''Bracteata'' **'' Vaccinium acrobracteatum'' **'' Vaccinium barandanum'' **'' Vaccinium bracteatum'' **'' Vaccinium coriaceum'' **'' Vaccinium cornigerum'' **'' Vaccinium cruentum'' **''

Vaccinium hooglandii ''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (whort ...

'' **'' Vaccinium horizontale'' **'' Vaccinium laurifolium'' **'' Vaccinium lucidum'' **'' Vaccinium myrtoides'' **'' Vaccinium phillyreoides'' **''

Vaccinium reticulatovenosum ''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (whort ...

'' **'' Vaccinium sparsum'' **'' Vaccinium varingifolium'' *Sect. ''Ciliata'' **'' Vaccinium ciliatum'' **'' Vaccinium oldhamii'' - Japanese blueberry *Sect. ''Cinctosandra'' **'' Vaccinium exul'' *Sect. ''Conchophyllum'' **'' Vaccinium corymbodendron'' **'' Vaccinium delavayi'' **'' Vaccinium emarginatum'' **'' Vaccinium griffithianum'' **''

Vaccinium meridionale ''Vaccinium meridionale'', agraz or Andean blueberry, is a species in the section ''Pyxothamnus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium'', in the heath and heather family. It is found in the mountains of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela and may have been intr ...

'' **''Vaccinium moupinense'' – Himalayan blueberry **''Vaccinium neilgherrense'' **''Vaccinium nummularia'' **''Vaccinium retusum'' *Sect. ''Cyanococcus'' – typical North American blueberry, blueberries **''Vaccinium angustifolium'' – lowbush blueberry - also known as ''Vaccinium stenophyllum'' **''Vaccinium boreale'' – northern blueberry **''Vaccinium caesariense'' – New Jersey blueberry **''Vaccinium corymbosum'' – highbush blueberry **''Vaccinium darrowii'' – evergreen blueberry **''Vaccinium elliottii'' – Elliott's blueberry **''Vaccinium formosum'' **''Vaccinium fuscatum'' – black highbush blueberry; syn. ''V. atrococcum'' **''Vaccinium hirsutum'' **''Vaccinium myrsinites'' – evergreen blueberry **''Vaccinium myrtilloides'' – Canadian blueberry **''Vaccinium pallidum'' Ait. – dryland blueberry (images); syn. ''V. vacillans'' Torr. **''Vaccinium simulatum'' **''Vaccinium tenellum'' **''Vaccinium virgatum'' – rabbiteye blueberry; syn. ''V. ashei'' *Sect. ''Eococcus'' **''Vaccinium fragile'' *Sect. ''Epigynium'' **''Vaccinium vacciniaceum'' *Sect. ''Galeopetalum'' **''Vaccinium chunii'' **''Vaccinium dunalianum'' **''Vaccinium glaucoalbum'' **''Vaccinium sikkimense'' (may not be treated as a separate species from ''V. glaucoalbum'') **''Vaccinium urceolatum'' *Sect. ''Hemimyrtillus'' **''Vaccinium arctostaphylos'' **''Vaccinium cylindraceum'' **''Vaccinium hirtum'' **''Vaccinium padifolium'' **''Vaccinium smallii'' *Sect. ''Koreanum'' **''Vaccinium koreanum'' – Korean blueberry *Sect. ''Myrtillus'' (including sect. ''Macropelma'') – bilberry, bilberries and relatives. Monophyly of this section has been confirmed by matK and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequence data. **''Vaccinium calycinum'' James Edward Smith (botanist), Sm. – (Hawaii, Hawaii) **''Vaccinium cereum'' (L.f.) Forst.f. – east Polynesian blueberry, Pacific blueberry **''Vaccinium cespitosum'' – dwarf bilberry **''Vaccinium deliciosum'' – Cascade bilberry, Cascade blueberry, blueleaf huckleberry **''Vaccinium dentatum'' James Edward Smith (botanist), Sm. – (Hawaii) **''Vaccinium membranaceum'' – square-twig blueberry, thinleaf huckleberry, tall huckleberry, big huckleberry, mountain huckleberry, "black huckleberry" **''Vaccinium myrtillus'' – common bilberry, blue whortleberry, blaeberry, fraughan, hurtleberry **''Vaccinium ovalifolium'' – Alaska blueberry, early blueberry, oval-leaf blueberry **''Vaccinium parvifolium'' – red huckleberry **Vaccinium praestans – ''krasnika'' (russian: :ru:красника, красника), Kamchatka bilberry **''Vaccinium reticulatum'' – (Hawaii) **''Vaccinium scoparium'' – grouse whortleberry, grouseberry, littleleaf huckleberry *Sect. ''Neurodesia'' **''Vaccinium crenatum'' *Sect. ''Oarianthe'' **''Vaccinium ambyandrum'' **''Vaccinium cyclopense'' *Sect. ''Oreades'' **''Vaccinium poasanum'' *Sect. ''Pachyanthum'' **''Vaccinium fissiflorum'' *Sect. ''Polycodium'' **''Vaccinium stamineum'' Carl Linnaeus, L. – deerberry; syn. ''V. caesium'' (eastern North America) (images) *Sect. ''Pyxothamnus'' **''Vaccinium consanguineum'' **''Vaccinium floribundum'' **''Vaccinium ovatum'' Frederick Traugott Pursh, Pursh – California huckleberry (or evergreen huckleberry) (coastal western North America). First collected and described for western science by Meriwether Lewis. *Sect. ''Vaccinium'' **''Vaccinium uliginosum'' Carl Linnaeus, L. – northern (or bog) bilberry (or blueberry); syn. ''V. occidentale'' (northern North America and Eurasia) *Sect. ''Vitis-idaea'' **''Vaccinium vitis-idaea'' Carl Linnaeus, L. – partridgeberry, cowberry, redberry, red whortleberry, or lingonberry (northern North America and Eurasia)

Distribution and habitat

The genus contains about 450 species, which are found mostly in the cooler areas of the Northern Hemisphere, although there are tropical species from areas as widely separated as Madagascar and Hawaii. The genus is distributed worldwide except for Australia and Antarctica, but areas of great ''Vaccinium'' diversity include the montane regions of North and South America, as well as Southeast Asia. Species are still being discovered in the Andes. Plants of this group typically require acidic soils, and as wild plants they live in habitats such as heath (habitat), heath, bog and acidic woodland (for example, blueberries under oaks or pines). Blueberry plants are commonly found in oak-heath forests in eastern North America. ''Vaccinium'' is found in both successional and stable sites, and is fire-adapted in many regions, withstanding low-intensity burns, and re-sprouting from rhizomes when above-ground tissues are burned off.

Ecology

''Vaccinium'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species – see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Vaccinium, list of Lepidoptera that feed on ''Vaccinium''. Berries of North American species nourish a variety of mammals and birds, notably including the grizzly bear.

Fossil record

Two fossil seeds of †''Vaccinium minutulum'' have been extracted from borehole samples of the Middle Miocene fresh water deposits in Nowy Sacz Basin, West Carpathians, Poland.Łańcucka-Środoniowa M.: Macroscopic plant remains from the freshwater Miocene of the Nowy Sącz Basin (West Carpathians, Poland) [Szczątki makroskopowe roślin z miocenu słodkowodnego Kotliny Sądeckiej (Karpaty Zachodnie, Polska)]. Acta Palaeobotanica 1979 20 (1): 3-117.

Production

Blueberry, Blueberries (sect. Cyanococcus) and Cranberry, cranberries (sect. Oxycoccus) are relatively newly cultivated plants, and are largely unchanged from their wild relatives. Genetic breeding of blueberries began around the turn of the 20th century, and was spearheaded by Frederick Coville who performed many cross-breeding trials and produced dozens of new blueberry cultivars. He often tested new cultivars for their flavor, and claimed that after a long day of tasting, "all blueberries taste the same, and all taste sour."

References

External links

''Vaccinium'' information from U.S. National Plant Germplasm SystemBritish Towns and Villages Network, ''Vaccinium''; Species of the Genus ''Vaccinium''
{{Authority control Vaccinium, Ericaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Subshrubs