Vaccinium fuscatum (Black highbush blueberry)

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Vaccinium fuscatum Aiton

Black highbush blueberry

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Ericales	Tea, persimmon, blueberry, Brazil nut, azalea, many others
Family	Ericaceae	Heath or heather family
Genus	Vaccinium	Ancient Latin name for billberry
Species	fuscatum	“With brownish hairs” on the stem

About plant names...

Black highbush blueberry is native to North America.

Identification: Shrubs are perennials, reaching 11′ (3.5 m), with brown bark. Leaves are alternate, sometimes persisting through the winter, 1-1¼″ (3-3.5 cm) × ⅝-⅞″ (1.6-2.5 cm) wide, and lanceolate, elliptic, or ovate. Leaves are fairly thick and leathery, hairless above, finely hairy and much lighter in color below. Flowers are hermaphroditic, containing both male and female organs, but they do not fertilize themselves. They are urn-shaped and cream-colored, with pink bases and sometimes pink stripes, about ⅛″ (6 mm) in size. Fruits are ⅛-⅜″ (6-10 mm) in diameter.

This Vaccinium comparison chart also includes a couple of similar-appearing species that are not Vaccinium.

Edibility: "Not very tasty," according to one source.

Online References:

Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource

Www.carolinanature.com

Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Discover Life

Delawarewildflowers.org

The Oklahoma Biological Survey

7/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 3½″ (14 × 9.6 cm) ID is uncertain

6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain

5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

Cyanococcus atrococcus (A. Gray) Small

Cyanococcus fuscatus (Aiton) Small

Cyanococcus virgatus sensu Small

Vaccinium arkansanum Ashe

Vaccinium atrococcum (A. Gray) A. Heller

Vaccinium corymbosum L. var. atrococcum A. Gray

Vaccinium fuscatum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

7/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Range:

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