Gaultheria hispidula | |
---|---|
Foliage and ripe fruit | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Genus: | Gaultheria |
Species: | G. hispidula |
Binomial name | |
Gaultheria hispidula | |
Synonyms | |
Chiogenes hispidula |
Gaultheria hispidula, commonly known as the creeping snowberry or moxie-plum, and known to Micmaq tribes of Newfoundland as Manna Teaberry, is a perennial [2] spreading ground-level vine of the heath family Ericaceae. It is native to North America and produces small white edible berries. It fruits from August to September. Its leaves and berries taste and smell like wintergreen. [3]
Gaultheria hispidula is an evergreen prostrate shrub that forms a mat of stems and leaves that can reach 1 m (3+1⁄2 ft) in diameter and only 10 centimetres (3.9 in) high. [4] The small leaves, which are under 1 cm (0.39 in) long, are arranged alternately along the stems. [5] The pale green-white flowers are seen in spring, followed by the white berries in August and September. The fruit is white with small darker-colored hair-like growths. The fruit is edible and has an acidic taste. [4]
Gaultheria hispidula grows in acidic and neutral soils in open woodland and forest verges, [4] particularly on wet ground such as in or on the edge of bogs, often near tree stumps. Its original range spread from far northern Canada to as far south as North Carolina, but it has been extirpated from the southerly portions of its original range.
It is pollinated by solitary bees, bumblebees, bee-flies, and hoverflies, while chipmunks and deer mice spread the seed. [6]
Like most plants in North America, deforestation and competition with invasive ornamentals (especially shade-loving groundcovers, such as English ivy or winter creeper commonly sold at garden centers) affect the creeping snowberry significantly. As a result, it has been extirpated from some of its original range and classified as rare in several states. Despite this, its international status has been evaluated as secure. This is because it is still quite common in its more northerly range of greater Canada. [5] However, deforestation and exotic invasion are continuing problems that affect all forest species in both Canada and the United States. [7] [8]
It is listed as endangered in Maryland and New Jersey, as threatened in Rhode Island, as sensitive in Washington, as rare in Pennsylvania, as presumed extirpated in Ohio, [9] and as a species of special concern in Connecticut. [10]
The Algonquin people use an infusion of the leaves as a tonic for overeating. [11] They also use the fruit as food. [12] The Anticosti use it as a sedative, [13] and the Micmac decoct the leaves or the whole plant for an unspecified purpose. [14] The Ojibwa people use the leaves to make a beverage. [15]
The leaves can be cooked as a vegetable. The fruits can be eaten raw, baked, or used to make jam. [16]
Vaccinium vitis-idaea is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family, Ericaceae. It is known colloquially as the lingonberry, partridgeberry, foxberry, mountain cranberry, or cowberry. It is native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Commercially cultivated in the United States Pacific Northwest and the Netherlands, the edible berries are also picked in the wild and used in various dishes, especially in Nordic cuisine.
Gaultheria shallon is an evergreen shrub in the heather family (Ericaceae), native to western North America. In English, it is known as salal, shallon, or gaultheria.
Ribes triste, known as the northern redcurrant, swamp redcurrant, or wild redcurrant, is an Asian and North American shrub in the gooseberry family.
Rubus phoenicolasius is an Asian species of raspberry in the rose family, native to China, Japan, and Korea.
Symphoricarpos is a small genus of about 15 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae. With the exception of the Chinese coralberry, S. sinensis, which is indigenous to western China, all species are native to North and Central America. The name of the genus is derived from the Ancient Greek words συμφορεῖν (sumphoreîn), meaning "to bear together", and καρπός (karpós), meaning "fruit". It refers to the closely packed clusters of berries the species produces. Species in the genus are known by several common names, including snowberry, waxberry and ghostberry.
Gaultheria procumbens, also called the eastern teaberry, the checkerberry, the boxberry, or the American wintergreen, is a species of Gaultheria native to northeastern North America from Newfoundland west to southeastern Manitoba, and south to Alabama. It is a member of the Ericaceae.
Vaccinium myrtilloides is a North American shrub with common names including common blueberry, velvetleaf huckleberry, velvetleaf blueberry, Canadian blueberry, and sourtop blueberry.
Vaccinium ovatum is a North American species of huckleberry in the heather family commonly known as the evergreen huckleberry, winter huckleberry, cynamoka berry and California huckleberry. It has a large distribution on the Pacific Coast of North America ranging from southern British Columbia to southern California. It is a tall woody shrub that produces fleshy, edible berries in the summer. The plant is used for food, natural landscaping, and floral arrangements.
Viburnum nudum is a deciduous shrub in the genus Viburnum within the muskroot family, Adoxaceae.
Gaultheria hispida, commonly known as the copperleaf snowberry, is an endemic eudicot of Tasmania, Australia. It is an erect multi-branched shrub, that can be found in wet forests and alpine woodlands. Its berries appear snowy white and leaves are tipped with a copper tinge, hence the common name.
Ribes glandulosum, the skunk currant, is a North American species of flowering plant in the currant family.
Solidago rugosa, commonly called the wrinkleleaf goldenrod or rough-stemmed goldenrod, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is widespread across eastern and central Canada and the eastern and central United States. It is usually found in wet to mesic habitats.
Symphoricarpos albus is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known by the common name common snowberry. Native to North America, it is browsed by some animals and planted for ornamental and ecological purposes, but is poisonous to humans.
Gaultheria trichophylla, commonly known as Himalayan snowberry, is a species of plant in the heath and heather family, native to the Himalayas. The flowers range in color from red, to pink, to white; fruits are blue-colored berries; and leaves are approximately 3 mm (0.12 in) in length.
Viola renifolia is a species of violet known by the common names white violet and kidneyleaf violet. It is native to northern North America, where it has a widespread distribution across Canada and the northern United States as far south as Washington, Colorado, and New York.
Gaultheria depressa, commonly known as the mountain snowberry or alpine wax berry, is a small ground-hugging shrub of the heath family Ericaceae native to rocky alpine areas of Tasmania, Australia, and New Zealand.
Asclepias variegata, commonly called the redring milkweed or white milkweed, is a plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is native to eastern North America, where it is found in Canada and the United States. It is most common in the Southeastern United States, and becomes rare in the northern edge of its range.
Triosteum perfoliatum, commonly known as perfoliate tinker's-weed, late horse gentian, common horse gentian, perfoliate-leaved horse-gentian, feverwort, and wild coffee, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle). It is found in eastern and central North America. The yellow-orange berries can be dried, roasted, ground, and used as a coffee substitute.
Ludwigia polycarpa, common names many-fruited false-loosestrife and false loosestrife seedbox, is a plant found in North America. It is listed as a special concern and believed extirpated in Connecticut, and as endangered in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont.
Ludwigia sphaerocarpa, common names globe-fruited false-loosestrife, globefruit primrose-willow, round-fruited false-loosestrife, globe-fruited seedbox, globe-fruited ludwigia, spherical-fruited seedbox and round-fruited false loosestrife; is a plant found in North America. It is listed as endangered in Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and as threatened in Michigan and New York (state). It is listed as extirpated in Pennsylvania.
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