blueberries, cranberries, and allies

genus Vaccinium

Member of heath family (family Ericaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

california huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum

california huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum

leaves evergreen, leathery, veins not prominent abaxially
inflorescence (and fruit) dense, axillary
pedicel jointed to flower
filaments ± hairy
twigs not angled, ± gray [often reddish distally]
fruit black [or red or ?blue?], glaucous or not

dwarf bilberry
Vaccinium cespitosum

leaves deciduous, thin or ± thick, veins generally prominent abaxially
individual flowers (and fruits) in axils
pedicel not jointed to flower
filaments glabrous
twigs not or weakly angled, ± green or yellow-green but not green
fruit generally blue-glaucous

red huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium

red huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium

leaves deciduous (rarely evergreen), thin or ± thick, veins generally prominent abaxially
individual flowers (and fruits) in axils
pedicel not jointed to flower
filaments glabrous
twigs strongly angled, green
fruit bright red

2 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 30 (all are research grade)

Locations:

El Corte de Madera OSP: 4
Portola Redwoods SP: 3
Sam McDonald CP: 3
San Pedro Valley CP: 3
Big Basin SP: 2
Huckleberry Botanic RP: 2
Mt. Madonna SP: 2
Sweeney Ridge National Recreation Area: 2
Butano SP
Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
Henry Cowell Redwoods SP - Fall Creek Unit
Huddart CP
Jacks Peak CP
Nisene Marks SP
Pescadero Creek CP
Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP
UCSC Campus Natural Reserve

Months:

Feb.: 2
Mar.: 1
Apr.: 1
May: 4
Jun.: 3
Jul.: 6
Aug.: 9
Sep.: 1
Oct.: 3

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora