Arctostaphylos rubra : Red Bearberry

Taxonomy

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Genera: Arctostaphylos (Bearberry) (Gik. arcto=bear + staphyle=berry; referring to the fact that bears enjoy these berries)

Species: rubra (Lat. ruber=red; referring to the colour of the berries)

English Name(s):

Red Bearberry,

First Nation Names:

dzhii ndee' (Gwichya), shin jak (Teetl'it)


Description

Structure:

  • Prostrate or trailing often mat-forming shrub.
  • Branches erect.

Leaves:

Reproductive Parts:

  • Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular (symetrical).
  • Calyx (sepals) 5-parted.
  • Flowers in terminal (at the top) racemes or clusters.
  • Flowers with united petals and bell-shaped.
  • Ovary with 5 locules (chambers).
  • Stamens (male parts) 10.
  • 2-3 flowers appearing early in spring before the leaves unfold.
  • Flowers yellowish-green becoming white.

Seed:

  • Fruit is a drupe (berry like).
  • Nutlets 2.5-3.0mm long.
  • Drupes deep red or scarlet, very juicy.

Not to Be Confused With:

  • Arctostaphylos alpina (Black Bearberry) is very simmilar but differs in having back drupes (berries), slighly shorter stems, and persistent withered leaves.

Biology

Physiology:

    Life Cycle:

    Seasonal Cycle:

    • Drupes (berries) ripening around late July.
    • Flowers appearing before the leaves unroll.
    • Leaves deciduous (falling off) and not persistent.
    • Leaves turn a birght red in the autumn.

    Ecology

    Animal Uses:

    • Bears and ravens are fond of these berries.
    • Many other animals probably enjoy them also.

    Habitat:

    • Mossy places in open coniferous woodland, peaty soils, and rocky tundra.
    • Usually at lower elevations than A.alpina.

    Uses

    Modern:

    Industrial:

    Medicinal:

      Food:

        Traditional Gwich'in:

        Folklore:

          Industrial:

            Medicinal:

              Food:

                Traditional Other:

                Folklore:

                  Industrial:

                    Medicinal:

                      Food:

                        Images

                        Red leaves in autumn


                        Erect stem with bell-shaped flowers in bloom


                        Illustration from: Illustrated Flora of BC


                        Range Maps

                        World Range: East Asia and N.A with several large gaps, arctic-subarctic-alpine; in N.A. NL to AK, south to AB, BC and northern ON.

                        Prov/State Abrev. List


                        In Yukon: found throughout the territory north to the Arctic coast.

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