[The Heath Family East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Huckleberries, Bilberries, Blueberries and Cranberries East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Vaccinium

Dwarf Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium

Dwarf Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium

Dwarf Huckleberry, Dwarf bilberry:Vaccinium cespitosum (Synonym: Vaccinium caespitosum) - Plants are less than 50 cm high. The leaves are 1-3 cm long and numerous so that the lower branches are mostly concealed. The branches are spreading and diffuse. The thin leaves are oblong, obovate or elliptic with minute teeth. The lower leaf surface is generally glandular. Plants form mats in sunny mountain meadows. Fruits blue and glaucous.

Blue-leaved Huckleberry, Cascade Huckleberry, Cascade Blueberry, Cascade Bilberry, Blueleaf Huckleberry, Rainier Blueberry: Vaccinium deliciosum - Plants less than 40 cm high. Twigs weakly or not angled, the youngest glabrous and glaucous. The thin leaves are 1.5-3.5 cm long, obovate or oblanceolate, or rarely elliptic. The blades are glaucous and toothed along the upper 2/3 of the margin. Fruits blue and glaucous. Mts. of Lake C0, OR.

Thin-leaved Huckleberry, Big Huckleberry, Tall Huckleberry, Square-twig Blueberry: Vaccinium membranaceum (Synonyms: Vaccinium coccinium, Vaccinium globulare)- Plants are 50-200 cm tall. The thin leaves are 2-5 cm long, ovate, elliptic or obovate in shape and sharply long-pointed at both ends. The margins are toothed. Fruits black.

Velvet-leaf Huckleberry, Velvet-leaf blueberry: Vaccinium myrtilloides (Synonyms: Cyanococcus canadensis, Vaccinium angustifolium var. myrtilloides, Vaccinium canadense) -

Dwarf Whortleberry, Dwarf Bilberry, Dwarf Blueberry, Whortleberry, Low Blueberry: Vaccinium myrtillus (Synonyms: Vaccinium myrtillus ssp oreophilum, Vaccinium myrtillus var. oreophilum, Vaccinium oreophilum) - Plants are less than 50 cm high. The leaves are 1-3 cm long and concentrated on the upper branches so the lower branches are often visible. The branches are stiff, erect and crowded, often broom-like. Berries bright red to bluish or black. Plants of shady coniferous woods which do not form mats.

Western Hucklebery, Western Bog Blueberry: Vaccinium occidentale (Synonym: Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. occidentale) - Plants are over 40 cm high. The leaves are 1-3 cm long, usually less than half as wide as long. Berries black or purplish.

Early Blueberry, Oval-leaf blueberry, Alaska Blueberry: Vaccinium ovalifolium (Synonym: Vaccinium alaskense?) - Plants are 40-300 cm high. The thin leaves are glabrous with prominent veins. The blades are ovate-elliptic, 2-4 cm long, and entire or minutely toothed. Fruits blue and glaucous. Blue Mts.

Wild Cranberry, Swamp Cranberry, Small Cranberry: Vaccinium oxycoccos (Synonym: Oxycoccus palustris var. intermedium) -

Dwarf Grouse-berry, Grouseberry, Grouse Whortleberry, Whortleberry: Vaccinium scoparium (Synonym: Oxycoccus palustris var. intermedium) - Plants are less than 50 cm high. The leaves are 8-15 mm long, ovate to elliptic with toothed margins. They are concentrated on the upper branches so the lower branches are often visible. Twigs strongly angled and green. The branches are spreading and diffuse, not broom-like. Berries bright red. Plants of shady coniferous woods which do not form mats. Fruits red.

Bog Blueberry, Bog Bilberry: Vaccinium uliginosum (Synonyms: Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. alpinum, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. gaultherioides, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. microphyllum, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. occidentale, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. pedris, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. pubescens, Vaccinium uliginosum var. alpinum, Vaccinium uliginosum var. salicinum) - Plants are less than 60 cm high. Twigs not angled nor green. Leaves thick,, blades elliptic to ovate, 1-2 cm long with entire margins. Fruits blue-black & glaucous. ? Juniper Hills (Nature Conservancy, central OR)


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