For other shrubs sometimes called "crowberry", see Bearberry.
Empetrum nigrum, crowberry,[3]black crowberry, or, in western Alaska, blackberry, is a flowering plant species in the heather family Ericaceae with a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually dioecious, but there is a bisexualtetraploid subspecies, Empetrum nigrum subsp. hermaphroditum, which occurs in more northerly locations and at higher altitude.[4][5]
Empetrum nigrum is a low growing, evergreen shrub with a creeping habit.[6] 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.[7] The flowers are small and not very noticeable,[6] with greenish-pink sepals that turn reddish purple.[8] The round fruits are drupes, 4–6 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) wide, usually black or purplish-black but occasionally red.[9]
The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter-warming experiments.[10]
The yellow-leaved cultivar Empetrum nigrum 'Lucia'Alaskan crowberry
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.[15]
Empetrum nigrum grows in acidic soils in shady, moist areas.
The fruit is edible and can be dried.[16] However, it has an acidic taste and can cause headaches.[7] 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. The Dena'ina (Tanaina) harvest it for food, sometimes storing in quantity for winter, sometimes mixed with lard or oil.
The Scottish Highlands Clan Maclean's badge is believed to be E. nigrum; cuttings of it would be raised on standards to denote clan identity and allegiance.
References
^Sp. Pl. 2: 1022. 1753 [1 May 1753] "Plant Name Details for Empetrum nigrum". IPNI. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
^"Empetrum nigrum L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
^Magnus Popp; Virginia Mirré; Christian Brochmann (2011). Peter H. Raven (ed.). "A single Mid-Pleistocene long-distance dispersal by a bird can explain the extreme bipolar disjunction in crowberries". PNAS. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri. 108 (16): 6520–6525. doi:10.1073/pnas.1012249108. PMC3081031. PMID 21402939.
^ ab"Empetrum nigrum - L." Plants for a Future. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
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August 19, 2023
empetrum, nigrum, other, shrubs, sometimes, called, crowberry, bearberry, crowberry, black, crowberry, western, alaska, blackberry, flowering, plant, species, heather, family, ericaceae, with, near, circumboreal, distribution, northern, hemisphere, usually, di. For other shrubs sometimes called crowberry see Bearberry Empetrum nigrum crowberry 3 black crowberry or in western Alaska blackberry is a flowering plant species in the heather family Ericaceae with a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere It is usually dioecious but there is a bisexual tetraploid subspecies Empetrum nigrum subsp hermaphroditum which occurs in more northerly locations and at higher altitude 4 5 Black crowberryScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade AsteridsOrder EricalesFamily EricaceaeGenus EmpetrumSpecies E nigrumBinomial nameEmpetrum nigrumL 1 Synonyms 2 Chamaetaxus nigra L Bubani Empetrum arcticum V N Vassil Empetrum crassifolium Raf Empetrum eamesii subsp hermaphroditum Hagerup D Love Empetrum hermaphroditum Hagerup Empetrum hermaphroditum var americanum V N Vassil Empetrum medium Carmich Empetrum nigrum f cylindricum Lepage Empetrum nigrum var hermaphroditum Hagerup T Sorensen Empetrum nigrum subsp hermaphroditum Hagerup Bocher Empetrum nigrum f purpureum Raf Fernald Empetrum nigrum var purpureum Raf A DC Empetrum purpureum Raf Contents 1 Description 2 Subspecies 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Ecology 5 Uses 6 Culture 7 ReferencesDescription EditEmpetrum nigrum is a low growing evergreen shrub with a creeping habit 6 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 7 The flowers are small and not very noticeable 6 with greenish pink sepals that turn reddish purple 8 The round fruits are drupes 4 6 mm 1 8 1 4 in wide usually black or purplish black but occasionally red 9 The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter warming experiments 10 The yellow leaved cultivar Empetrum nigrum Lucia Alaskan crowberrySubspecies EditEmpetrum nigrum subsp asiaticum Nakai ex H Ito Kuvaev Korean crowberry 11 Empetrum nigrum subsp subholarcticum V N Vassil Kuvaev synonym Empetrum subholarcticum V N Vassil 12 Distribution and habitat EditThe species has a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere citation needed It is also native in the Falkland Islands 13 14 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 15 Empetrum nigrum grows in acidic soils in shady moist areas Ecology EditThe plant is a food source of several moths including the Black Mountain Mountain Burnet and Broad bordered White Underwing 7 Uses EditThe fruit is edible and can be dried 16 However it has an acidic taste and can cause headaches 7 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 The Dena ina Tanaina harvest it for food sometimes storing in quantity for winter sometimes mixed with lard or oil The species can also be grown as a ground cover 17 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 17 Culture EditThe Scottish Highlands Clan Maclean s badge is believed to be E nigrum cuttings of it would be raised on standards to denote clan identity and allegiance References Edit Sp Pl 2 1022 1753 1 May 1753 Plant Name Details for Empetrum nigrum IPNI Retrieved 1 December 2009 Empetrum nigrum L Plants of the World Online Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 2017 Retrieved 11 July 2020 Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Crowberry Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 7 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 513 Stace C A 2010 New Flora of the British Isles 3rd edition Cambridge University press ISBN 978 0 521 70772 5 pp 525 Krakbar in Swedish a b Barbara Coffin Lee Pfannmuller 1988 Minnesota s Endangered Flora and Fauna U of Minnesota Press p 96 ISBN 978 0 8166 1689 3 a b c Reader s Digest Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain Reader s Digest 1981 p 220 ISBN 978 0 276 00217 5 Empetrum nigrum in Flora of North America efloras org www efloras org Retrieved 2020 12 30 Jepson eFlora Empetrum nigrum University and Jepson Herbaria University of California Berkeley Retrieved 15 May 2017 Bokhorst S Bjerke JW Davey MP Taulavuori K Taulavuori E Laine K Callaghan TV Phoenix GK 2010 Impacts of extreme winter warming events on plant physiology in a sub Arctic heath community Physiologia Plantarum 140 2 128 140 doi 10 1111 j 1399 3054 2010 01386 x PMID 20497369 English Names for Korean Native Plants PDF Pocheon Korea National Arboretum 2015 p 456 ISBN 978 89 97450 98 5 Archived from the original PDF on 25 May 2017 Retrieved 24 December 2016 via Korea Forest Service Empetrum subholarcticum V N Vassil www worldfloraonline org Retrieved 15 February 2021 Empetrum nigrum Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Retrieved 15 December 2017 Empetrum nigrum L PLANTS Magnus Popp Virginia Mirre Christian Brochmann 2011 Peter H Raven ed A single Mid Pleistocene long distance dispersal by a bird can explain the extreme bipolar disjunction in crowberries PNAS Missouri Botanical Garden St Louis Missouri 108 16 6520 6525 doi 10 1073 pnas 1012249108 PMC 3081031 PMID 21402939 The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants United States Department of the Army New York Skyhorse Publishing 2009 p 47 ISBN 978 1 60239 692 0 OCLC 277203364 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b Empetrum nigrum L Plants for a Future Retrieved 15 May 2017 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Empetrum nigrum Forest Service Fire Ecology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Empetrum nigrum amp oldid 1168516142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
