Empetrum nigrum
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Empetrum nigrum, crowberry,[1] black crowberry, mossberry, 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.
Description
Empetrum nigrum is a low growing, evergreen shrub with a creeping habit.[2] The leaves are Script error: No such module "convert". long, arranged alternately along the stem. The stems are red when young and then fade to brown. It blooms between May and June.[3]
It is usually dioecious. The flowers are small and not very noticeable,[2] with greenish-pink sepals that turn reddish purple.[4] The round fruits are drupes, Script error: No such module "convert". wide, usually black or purplish-black but occasionally red.[5] 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.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Subspecies
- Empetrum nigrum subsp. asiaticum (Nakai ex H.Ito) Kuvaev – Korean crowberry[6]
- Empetrum nigrum subsp. hermaphroditum – a monoecious[7] tetraploid subspecies (sometimes considered its own species)[8] occurring further north and at higher altitudes.[9][10]
- Empetrum nigrum subsp. subholarcticum (V.N.Vassil.) Kuvaev (synonym: Empetrum subholarcticum V.N.Vassil.)[11]
Distribution and habitat
The species has a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere.[8] It is also native in the Falkland Islands.[12][13]
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.[14]
Empetrum nigrum grows in bogs[15] and other acidic soils in shady, moist areas.
Ecology
The moth species Glacies coracina, Zygaena exulans, and Hadula melanopa feed on the plant.[3]
The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter-warming experiments.[16]
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. [17]
Uses
The fruit is edible and can be dried,[18] 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.[15]
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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". It is used to make Alaskan ice cream.[15] The Dena'ina (Tanaina) harvest it for food, sometimes storing in quantity for winter, sometimes mixed with lard or oil.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
The species can also be grown as a ground cover,[19] 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.[19]
In culture
The Scottish Highlands Clan Maclean's badge is believed to be E. nigrum.[20]
Gallery
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References
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- ↑ Template:Cite EB1911
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Stace, C. A. (2010) New Flora of the British Isles, 3rd edition. Cambridge University press. Template:ISBN. pp. 525.
- ↑ Kråkbär Template:In lang
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- ↑ Adam; Innes of Learney (1970), pp. 541–543.
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Bibliography
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