546 BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



This fact serves to emphasize the need, in the propagation of 

 blueberries by cuttings, of making the plantation from 

 cuttings of a number of different bushes. 



Fruit. — The fruit is a many-seeded berry. It matures 

 about two months after flowering. The berries are most 

 commonly blue-black in color, although albino forms are 

 known to occur. The calyx is permanently attached to the 

 fruit. Berries may remain on the bushes a month or more 

 after they have reached maturity without losing their flavor 

 or firmness. 



Geographical. — The genus is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, 

 mostly in North America and the Himalayas. It includes about 125 species, 

 about 27 or more of which are native to North America. 



Key to Chief Fruit-bearing Species of Vaccinium 



Fruit red in color. 

 Stamens included, V. vitis-idcea (cowberry, mountain cranberry, foxberry). 

 Stamens exserted. 

 Leaves ovate, acute at the apex; stems slender, creeping; berries 



globular, V. oxyccccus (small cranberry). 

 Leaves oval or oblong, obtuse or retuse at the apex; stems stout, 

 creeping, with^ ascending branches; berries egg-shaped or oblong, V 

 macrocaipon (American cranberry). 

 Fruit blue or black in color. 

 Plants low, seldom over 2 feet tall. 

 Leaf surfaces free of hairs. 

 Berries blue. 

 Leaves shining above, F. ccepitosum (dwarf bilberry). 

 Leaves not shining above, V. vacillans (low blueberry, blue huckle- 

 berry). 

 Berries black. 

 Flowers solitary in leaf axils, V. myrtillus (whortleberry, bilberry) . 

 Flowers in groups in leaf axils. 



Fruit with bloom, V. angusiifolium (low blueberry). 

 Fruit without bloom, V. nigrum (low black blueberry). 

 Leaf surfaces hairy, V. canadense (Canada blueberry). 



