Arctous alpina

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15) Rhododendron, Cassiope, Vaccinium and other Ericaceae

[Moderator note: Split from the discussion of Arctous rubra. Please note that any member can start a new thread in any section. :)]

It is a narrow headline of this thread! Can't discern the difference between A. rubra and A. alpina. We did discuss that in another thread once, didn't we?
I said narrow because I don't know where to put my pictures - I'm afraid of messing your thread up, Cohan ;)

Although I don't know A rubra, I am familiar with A. alpina and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. But your pictures Cohan, reminds me very much of the homely stuff. However do A rubra prefere more alkaline soil as it grows along Dryas?

Here are some pictures of Arctous alpina from "my place". Here it grows with Loiseleuria procumbens, Empetrum nigrum ssp hermafroditum
, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Betula nana and lichen on poor sandy moraine soil.

Comments

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Sat, 11/24/2012 - 8:55am
Hoy wrote:

It is a narrow headline of this thread! Can't discern the difference between A. rubra and A. alpina.

I certainly don't know the difference either, but you can wade through these descriptions if you like.   :)
From them, it appears that leaf size and rugosity, fruit colour are some of the major differences.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=102499

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220001044
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250092314

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Sat, 11/24/2012 - 6:05pm

No expert, either, but I was under the impression that 'rubra' has red fruit and alpina black, though it was a while ago I was reading about it, and can't remember how absolute the character is..

I'm just on for a few minutes now, so I can't dig up the soil preferences of rubra, though what I'm remembering is that it is not that exclusive to any soil type- I presume the soil in the site I pictured must be rather alkaline, being glacial till and run off in mostly(?) limestone mountains.. the plants may make their own acid surface layer, but it can't be deep...

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Tue, 11/27/2012 - 1:34pm

Thanks Lori! I am not sure I would notice the difference except if I studied both at the same time ;) The alpina berries are red before they turn black :-\