Oxycoccus microcarpus : Bog Cranberry

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Genera: Oxycoccus (Cranberry) (Gk. Oxys=sharp + kokkos=a seed; referring to the sharp flavour of these berries.)

Species: microcarpus (Gk. mikro=small + karpos=fruit)

Synonym(s): Viaccinium oxycoccus

English Name(s):

Bog Cranberry, Swamp/Small/Wild/Moss Cranberry

First Nation Names:

nat'lat

Structure:

• Stems filiform (thread-like) 0.2-1.0mm thick, and up to 15cm long, usually partly buried in Sphagnum rooting along their length, with tips and flowering branches usually ascending.
• Tiny trailing shrubs.

Leaves:

• Simple (not compound or lobed).
• 4-6mm long by 1-4 mm wide.
• Elliptic ovate in shape with a pointed tip.
• Evergreen, alternately aranged on stem.
• Margins entire (smooth) and revolute (rolled downward).

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular (symetrical).
• Flowers nodding, single or in pairs, terminal (at stem tip) or lateral (along stem).
• On slender pedicels (stalks) with a pair of tiny bracts (leaves) in the middle.
• Petals separate, 5-7mm long, reflexed (bent backward), pink.
• Sepals 4, about 1mm long, pink.
• Stamens (male parts) 8.

Seed:

• Fruit is a red berry 5-7 mm in diameter.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Berries ripen by late August.
• Blooming in July.
• Leaves evergreen.

Animal Uses:

• Apparently muskrats enjoy them.
• Food for small mammals and grouse.

Habitat:

• Peat bogs, muskegs, and very wet meadows.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: