Empetrum nigrum, the crowberry,[3]black crowberry, mossberry, rockberry, or, in western Alaska, Labrador, etc., blackberry, is a flowering plant species in the heather family Ericaceae with a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. The scientific name of the plant comes from the combination of the Greek for “upon a rock” (en = upon + petros = rock) and the Latin for black (niger).[4] North American Indigenous names for this species include asiavik (Inupiaq)[5], dineech'úh(Gwich'in)[6], paurngaq (Inuktut)[7], xéel'i (Tlingít)[8], xa skáawaa (Haida)[9] and ts'nełt'ida (Dena’ina)[10].
Empetrum nigrum is a low growing, evergreen shrub with a creeping habit.[11] The leaves are 3–6 millimetres (1⁄8–1⁄4 inch) long, arranged alternately along the stem. The stems are red when young and then fade to brown; they grow slowly, around 7 – 15 cm (3 – 6 inches) per year[12][13]. This plant can form thick, clonal mats than prevent other plants from overgrowing it.[12]
Empetrum nigrum is usually dioecious, though a few individuals are bisexual and have perfect flowers[14]. Because this species is highly clonal, an entire patch may be of a single sex. Empetrum nigrum flower buds start to develop the summer before they open[13], blooming the following year between May and June.[15] The flowers are small (3 – 6 mm), have little or no scent and are not very noticeable,[11] Flowers consist of 3 greenish-pink sepals that turn reddish purple[16], 3 petals, 3 stamens (males) or a pistil with an ovary that contains 6 – 9 ovules (females).[17]
The round fruits are drupes, 4–6mm (1⁄8–1⁄4in) wide, usually black or purplish-black but occasionally red[18] and contain an average of 7.8 seeds per fruit. The fruits are well-protected against pathogens[19] and as a result can persist throughout the winter.[20] Fruits average 86.5% water, and their dry weight includes 14.4% carbohydrates and 12.2% lipids, which is possibly the highest lipid content of any fleshy fruit in Europe.[21]
Empetrum nigrum grows in bogs[25] and other acidic soils in shady, moist areas; it also grows in subalpine and alpine habitats in the Pacific Northwest. It can grow in soils with a pH as low as 2.5, but it does not grow in basic soils (pH > 8).[26]
Ecology
Empetrum nigrum flowers are likely pollinated by a combination of generalist insects (e.g., flies, beetles) and wind.[4][12] Animals that regularly consume this species and act as seed dispersers include rodents,[27] foxes, bears,[28] caribou[29] and many bird species.[30] Because it retains its fruit throughout the winter and into the spring, it is an important food for species such as red-backed voles at a time of year when few other foods are available.[20]
The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter-warming experiments.[31]
Empetrum nigrum has allelopathic properties (e.g. hampering seed germination and root extension of other plants) but the strength of these are dependent on the soil type.[32]
Empetrum nigrum roots host ericoid mycorrhizal species (ascomycetes and basidiomycetes), which increase access to nitrogen and phosphorus.[33]
Uses
The fruit is edible and can be dried,[34] and may have an acidic taste. In the Alaskan tundra, it is known to have a sweet and slightly tart flavor. It is often mixed with other berries in dishes like pies and puddings.[25]
It is abundant in Scandinavia and treasured for its ability to make liqueur, wine, juice, or jelly. In subarctic areas, the plant has been a vital addition to the diet of the Inuit and the Sami.[citation needed] It is used to make Alaskan ice cream.[25] The Dena'ina (Tanaina) harvest it for food, sometimes storing in quantity for winter, sometimes mixed with lard or oil.[citation needed]
In the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the berries (known locally as “blackberries”) are used in jams, jellies, and baked goods, such as buns, or puddings.[35] In Labrador and northern regions of Newfoundland, entire plants are harvested and the sods used to impart flavour to smoked fish.[36]
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The yellow-leaved cultivar Empetrum nigrum 'Lucia'
Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Empetrum nigrum in Denali
Alaskan crowberry
