''Vaccinium cespitosum'' (also, ''caespitosum''), known as the dwarf bilberry, dwarf blueberry, or dwarf huckleberry, is a species of flowering shrub in the genus ''

Vaccinium ''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 ...

'', which includes

blueberries Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...

huckleberries 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 Nort ...

, and

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 m ...

Description

Vaccinium caespitosum 3-eheep (5098011952)

''Vaccinium cespitosum'' is a low-lying plant rarely reaching half a meter (1.5 feet) in height which forms a carpet-like stand in rocky mountainous

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifi ...

s. The dwarf bilberry foliage is reddish-green to green and the flowers are tiny urn-shaped light pink cups less than a centimeter (>0.4 inches) wide. The fruits are edible blue

bilberries 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 myrtillu ...

Distribution and habitat

''Vaccinium cespitosum'' is widespread across much of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

including all three Arctic territories, as well as the northern and western United States,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, and

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

. Its native habitats include gravelly or rocky meadows and mountain slopes.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Vaccinium cespitosum''

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile: ''Vaccinium cespitosum''
* cespitosum Berries Plants described in 1803 Flora of Subarctic America Flora of Canada Flora of the Northeastern United States Flora of the North-Central United States Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of the South-Central United States Flora of Northeastern Mexico Flora of Central America {{Ericaceae-stub

Description

Distribution and habitat

See also

References

External links