Arctous alpina
Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 144. 1889 ,.
Shrubs 3–20(–30) cm; twigs terete, with persistent old leaves or petioles. Leaves: petiole winged, 1–4 mm, ciliate on margins, or hairy; blade obovate to oblanceolate, 4–15 × 0.7–8(–20) mm, base attenuate-cuneate, decurrent onto petiole, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded, surfaces rugose, glabrous or hairy. Inflorescences 2–4(–7)-flowered; bracts ovate, membranous. Pedicels 0.1–0.6 mm. Flowers: sepals pale green or yellow, 0.8–1.2 mm, apex acute; corolla yellow, whitish, or green (pale yellowish green), 3.5–4.5 mm, lobes recurved, greenish, rounded, 0.5 mm, glabrous; stamens 1–2 mm; anthers reddish, becoming yellow, 0.6–0.7 mm, horns 0.1–0.2 mm. Fruits black-purple, 6–9 mm diam. Pyrenes 2.7–4.6 × 2–3.6 mm. 2n = 26, 28.
Phenology: Flowering early summer.
Habitat: Tundra, gravelly beach ridges, lichen heaths, open, boggy, coniferous woods, dry, wind-swept and snow-free fellfields in arctic and alpine tundra
Elevation: 0-2500 m
Distribution
Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Yukon, Alaska, Maine, N.H., n Europe, Asia.
Discussion
In Greenland, Arctous alpina reaches 77º north latitude on the eastern coast.
Selected References
None.