Vaccinium virgatum Aiton
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Authority
Sargent, Charles S. 1889. Vaccinium hirsutum. Gard. & Forest. 2: 364, 365, fig. 119.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type locality: "North America" (probably Georgia). Introduced at Kew in 1770 by William Young.
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Description
Species Description - Plants in fairly extensiVe colonies, 0.3-0.5 m. high. Leaves deeiduous, green; the lower surface conspicuously glandular, pubescent along the midvein, or sometimes glabrous; spatulate, oblanceolate, or narrowly elliptic, often apically acuminate or acute, 1-1.5(2) cm. wide, 3-4.5(5) cm. long; the margin sharply serrate. Corolla cylindro-urceolate, 4-6 mm. long, pink-tinged, often conspicu- ously so. Fruit usually shining black, 6-10 mm. in diam., generally of poor flavor and texture.
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Discussion
Tetraploid (2n = 48).
V. virgatum gives every evidence of being an autopolyploid derivative of V. tenellum (for a further discussion of this polyploid series see the next species, V. amoewtum) ; it hybridizes with the other tetraploids of the area, notably so with fuscatum, attstrale, arkansanumn, and to a lesser extent with myrsinites. V. virgatum var. ozarkense Ashe, and V. virgatum var. speciosum Palmer (both based on material from Arkansas) may be segregate individuals and populations derived from hybrids between this and V. arkansanum; however, should V. tenel- lum yet be found west of the Mississippi River-and some evidence for it is accumulating-these could possibly be the result of combinations between it and V. atrococcum. Further field investigations and cytological studies are needed to place these items with confidence.
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Distribution
South Carolina ?, Georgia, Alabama, and northern Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas. A plant with much the same ecological requirements as V. tenellum, but able to persist in competition with taller grass, or in areas not so subject to burning
United States of America North America|