Monographs Details:
Authority:

Sargent, Charles S. 1889. Vaccinium hirsutum. Gard. & Forest. 2: 364, 365, fig. 119.
Family:

Ericaceae
Scientific Name:

Vaccinium tenellum Aiton
Description:

Species Description - Plants often in extensive colonies, 0.15-0.4 m. high. Leaves deciduous, green; the lower surface conspicuously glandular, pubescent along the midvein, or rarely glabrous; spatulate to narrowly elliptic, apically usually acute, 0.5-1.2(1.5) cm. wide, 2-3.5 (4) cm. long; the margin sharply serrate. Corolla narrowly urceolate, 4-6 mm. lohg, usually pink-tinged to deep pink, or even red. Fruit shining black, 5-8 mm. in diam., usually of poor flavor and texture.

Discussion:

Vaccinium galezans Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 232. 1803.

Vaccinium virgatum var. tenellum A. Gray, Syn. Fl. N. A. 2 (1): 22. 1878.

Cyanococcus tenellus Small, Man. SE. Fl. 1014, 1506. 1933.

Diploid (2n = 24).

V. tenellum hybridizes freely with such diploids as V. darrowi, elliottii, and vacillans; hybrids with caesariense and atrococcttm are also known. The forms of tenelltm with narrowly elliptic and/or glabrous leaves-now fairly common, especially throughout the southern part of the range-seem to' be the result of the flow of residual, non-selective genes through the population following ancient hybridizations, particularly with V. darrowi; discussions of other hybrids will be found under those species mentioned above.

Distribution:

United States of America North America|