Family: Ericaceae
Angiosperms: Eudicots: Asterids: Order: Ericales
Distinct subfamilies represented in the British flora include:
Ericoideae: (Calluna, Erica, Rhododendron etc) - Heaths and Rhododendron
Pyroloideae: (Pyrola etc) - Wintergreens
Vaccinioideae: (Vaccinium, Arctostaphylos) - Bilberry, Cowberry, Bearberry
Distinct subfamilies represented in the British flora include:
Ericoideae: (Calluna, Erica, Rhododendron etc) - Heaths and Rhododendron
Pyroloideae: (Pyrola etc) - Wintergreens
Vaccinioideae: (Vaccinium, Arctostaphylos) - Bilberry, Cowberry, Bearberry
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Common in the understory in heath, moor and wood on acid soils.
Differs from similar Ericaceous species (Cowberry, Bearberry etc) in having deciduous leaves (which are a paler green with a slightly toothed margin and not leathery/waxy) and green, ridged twigs.
Common in the understory in heath, moor and wood on acid soils.
Differs from similar Ericaceous species (Cowberry, Bearberry etc) in having deciduous leaves (which are a paler green with a slightly toothed margin and not leathery/waxy) and green, ridged twigs.
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Prostrate, mat-forming undershrub; pink-tinged globular flowers, May-June (5 petals, 5 sepals, 10 stamens); leaves alternate, evergreen, glabrous, ovate, untoothed, paler and markedly net-veined on underside. Cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is very similar but may be more erect, has more open flowers, and the underside of the leaf is less netted.
Prostrate, mat-forming undershrub; pink-tinged globular flowers, May-June (5 petals, 5 sepals, 10 stamens); leaves alternate, evergreen, glabrous, ovate, untoothed, paler and markedly net-veined on underside. Cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is very similar but may be more erect, has more open flowers, and the underside of the leaf is less netted.