Vaccinium vitis-idaea : Lingonberry

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Genera: Vaccinium (Huckleberry) (The ancient Latin name for plants of this genus)

Species: vitis-idaea (Lat. vitis=a vine + idaeus=Mount Ida; perhaps reffering to where this species originated)

English Name(s):

Lingonberry, Low-bush Cranberry, Mountain Cranberry

First Nation Names:

natl'at

Structure:

• Low creeping shrubs.
• Stems 5-25 cm long, decumbent-ascending, round or slightly angled.

Leaves:

• Simple (not compound or lobed).
• Oblanceolate to obovate in shape.
• Glossy above, pale and dotted with brownish glands below.
• Leaves leathery, evergreen, sessile (no stalk). 6-15 mm long by 2-9 mm long.
• Margins revolute (rolled downward).

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular (symetrical).
• Calyx (sepals) deeply 4-lobed, persisting on the fruit.
• Corolla (petals) pinkish, bell or cup-shaped, 4-6 mm long.
• Flowers few, in short terminal clusters.
• Stamens (male parts) 8.

Seed:

• Fruit a several seeded berry.
• Beries red, shiny, 6-10 mm in diameter.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinick) looks very simmilar. It differs in having leaves darker below and longer. Also flower parts are 5-merous (5 or multiples of).

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Fruits ripen in late August or into September. Are sweetest after a few autumn frosts. They stay ripe and juicy into the next spring.
• Leaves evergreen.
• Most plants finnished blooming by mid-July.

Animal Uses:

• The berries still ripe after the winter snows are important food for migrating waterfowl.
• Many mammals and birds eat the berries.

Habitat:

• Open acidic turfy places in woods, thickets, heathlands, tundra and boggy situations.

Modern:

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Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

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