- The yellow-leaved cultivar Empetrum nigrum 'Lucia'
- Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Empetrum nigrum in Denali
- Alaskan crowberry
Black crowberry | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Genus: | Empetrum |
Species: | E. nigrum |
Binomial name | |
Empetrum nigrum | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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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.
Empetrum nigrum is a low growing, evergreen shrub with a creeping habit. [4] 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. It blooms between May and June. [5]
It is usually dioecious. The flowers are small and not very noticeable, [4] with greenish-pink sepals that turn reddish purple. [6] The round fruits are drupes, 4–6 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) wide, usually black or purplish-black but occasionally red. [7] Its fruit persists for an average of 92.7 days, and bears an average of 7.8 seeds per fruit. 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. [8]
The species has a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. [11] It is also native in the Falkland Islands. [15] [16]
Evolutionary biologists have explained the striking geographic distribution of crowberries as a result of long-distance migratory birds dispersing seeds from one pole to the other. [17]
Empetrum nigrum grows in bogs [18] and other acidic soils in shady, moist areas; it also grows in subalpine and alpine habitats in the Pacific Northwest.
The moth species Glacies coracina , Zygaena exulans , and Hadula melanopa feed on the plant. [5]
The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter-warming experiments. [19]
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. [20]
The fruit is edible and can be dried, [21] 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. [18]
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. [18] 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. [22] In Labrador and northern regions of Newfoundland, entire plants are harvested and the sods used to impart flavour to smoked fish. [23]
The species can also be grown as a ground cover, [24] or as an ornamental plant in rock gardens, notably the yellow-foliaged cultivar 'Lucia'. The fruit is high in anthocyanin pigment and can be used to make a natural dye. [24]
The Scottish Highlands Clan Maclean's badge is believed to be E. nigrum. [25]
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