Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_1496.JPG-05-18-2019
Flower name (scientific): Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton PY: 1789. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) vak-SIN-ee-um an-gus-tee-FOH-lee-um
Flower name (common): Lowbush Blueberry
Family name (common): Heath
Family name (scientific): Ericaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Possibly from the Latin vaccīnium for bilberry.
    Specific epithet: From the Latin words augustus for narrow and folium for leaf.
Common name origin: From the low height of the plant and the color of edible berry.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.3 to 0.4 inches (8 to 10 mm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: white
     Other: flower arrangement, Raceme
Plant description:
     Size: 12 to 20 inches (30 to 51 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 4 cm long and up to 1.6 to 2 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, elliptic to narrowly elliptic (FNA)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): May to June
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Woods, forests, shade or part shade or sun, moist to dry, sandy conditions.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): The closest similar species is Vaccinium myrtilloides (Canada Blueberry, Velvet-leaf Blueberry), which has densely hairy stems and leaves, whereas the leaves of Vaccinium angustifolium are mostly glabrous (without hairs).
Ethnobotany: The Menominee use the berries as a food source. They were sun-dried and stored for winter use. Smith refers to this plant as Vaccinium pennsylvanicum (Smith, p. 66, 1923).
Latitude: 44.794777
Longitude: -91.487628
Altitude: 302.10
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Washburn, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV)
In Canada: (LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC)
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: na