Gaylussacia frondosa
| Gaylussacia frondosa | ||||||||||||
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Gaylussacia frondosa |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Gaylussacia frondosa | ||||||||||||
| ( L. ) Torr. & A.Gray ex Torr. 1843 |
Gaylussacia frondosa ( English dangleberry, blue huckleberry ) is a species of the heather family. It is native to the eastern United States, where it occurs from New Hampshire in the north to South Carolina in the south. The TNC classifies the species as safe ("G5").
description
G. frondosa is a shrub up to two meters high. The plant spreads through rhizomes ; from these sprouting new stems form (genetically uniform) stocks. The leaves are up to six inches long and up to three inches wide. They are hairy and shiny. The inflorescence contains one to four flowers that hang on up to two centimeters long peduncles, are bell-shaped and greenish white. The fruit is a juicy, sweet berry, usually blue, sometimes black or white in color.
Distribution and ecology
Gaylussacia frondosa is common in the Atlantic coastal plain . It grows in wooded areas and near bogs and breaks . It is common in the pine heaths of New Jersey . The plant prefers acidic, nutrient-poor soils. It is associated with related species such as American bilberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum , English highbush blueberry ), Vaccinium pallidum ( English hillside blueberry ), Lyonia ( Lyonia spp.), Narrow-leaved bay rose ( Kalmia angustifolia , English sheep-laurel ), lower shamberry ( Gaultheria procumbens , English wintergreen ), Gaylussacia dumosa ( English dwarf huckleberry ) and Gaylussacia baccata ( English black huckleberry ).
Many species of animals eat the berries and spread the seeds.
Taxonomy
The species Gaylussacia frondosa was once broader and included three varieties ; G. frondosa var. Nana and G. frondosa var. Tomentosa are now generally recognized as separate species ( Gaylussacia nana and Gaylussacia tomentosa ).
Synonyms
The Plant List , a joint venture between the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew) and the Missouri Botanical Garden , lists the following synonyms:
- Vaccinium frondosum L. 1753
- Adnaria frondosa (Torr. & A.Gray) Kuntze
- Decachaena frondosa (L.) Small
- Decamerium frondosum (L.) Nutt.
- Vaccinium decamerocarpon Dunal
- Vaccinium glaucum Lam.
- Vaccinium tomentosum Pursh ex A. Gray
- Vaccinium venustum Aiton
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Bruce A. Sorrie, Alan S. Weakley, Gordon C. Tucker: Gaylussacia frondosa in Flora of North America @ eFloras.org . Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ↑ Gaylussacia frondosa . Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ↑ a b Jennifer H. Carey: Gaylussacia frondosa . In: Fire Effects Information System . US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. 1994. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ↑ Gaylussacia frondosa (L.) Torr. & A.Gray . The Plant List. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
Web links
- The Nature Conservancy (English)
- Trees, shrubs and trees of North Carolina (English)