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Empetrum nigrum
Plant in the heather family Ericaceae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Empetrum nigrum, the crowberry,[3] black crowberry, mossberry, rockberry, or, in western Alaska, Labrador, etc., blackberry, is a flowering plant species in the heather family Ericaceae with a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere.
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Description
Empetrum nigrum is a low growing, evergreen shrub with a creeping habit.[4] 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.[5]
It is usually dioecious. The flowers are small and not very noticeable,[4] with greenish-pink sepals that turn reddish purple.[6] The round fruits are drupes, 4–6 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) wide, usually black or purplish-black but occasionally red.[7] Its fruit persists for an average of 92.7 days, and bears an average of 7.8 seeds per fruit. Fruits average 86.5% water, and their dry weight includes 14.4% carbohydrates and 12.2% lipids, which is possibly the highest lipid content of any fleshy fruit in Europe.[8]
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Subspecies
- Empetrum nigrum subsp. asiaticum (Nakai ex H.Ito) Kuvaev – Korean crowberry[9]
- Empetrum nigrum subsp. hermaphroditum – a monoecious[10] tetraploid subspecies (sometimes considered its own species)[11] occurring further north and at higher altitudes.[12][13]
- Empetrum nigrum subsp. subholarcticum (V.N.Vassil.) Kuvaev (synonym: Empetrum subholarcticum V.N.Vassil.)[14]
Distribution and habitat
The species has a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere.[11] It is also native in the Falkland Islands.[15][16]
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.[17]
Empetrum nigrum grows in bogs[18] and other acidic soils in shady, moist areas; it also grows in subalpine and alpine habitats in the Pacific Northwest.
Ecology
The moth species Glacies coracina, Zygaena exulans, and Hadula melanopa feed on the plant.[5]
The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter-warming experiments.[19]
Empetrum nigrum has allelopathic properties (e.g. hampering seed germination and root extension of other plants) but the strength of these are dependent on the soil type.[20]
Uses
The fruit is edible and can be dried,[21] and may have an acidic taste. In the Alaskan tundra, it is known to have a sweet and slightly tart flavor. It is often mixed with other berries in dishes like pies and puddings.[18]
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.[citation needed] It is used to make Alaskan ice cream.[18] The Dena'ina (Tanaina) harvest it for food, sometimes storing in quantity for winter, sometimes mixed with lard or oil.[citation needed]
In the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the berries (known locally as “blackberries”) are used in jams, jellies, and baked goods, such as buns, or puddings.[22] In Labrador and northern regions of Newfoundland, entire plants are harvested and the sods used to impart flavour to smoked fish.[23]
The species can also be grown as a ground cover,[24] 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.[24]
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In culture
The Scottish Highlands Clan Maclean's badge is believed to be E. nigrum.[25]
Gallery
The yellow-leaved cultivar Empetrum nigrum 'Lucia'
Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Empetrum nigrum in Denali
Alaskan crowberry
References
Bibliography
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