Vines, trailing, sometimes ascending, 0.1-1.5 dm, not rhizomatous, (branches terete, slender, flexible, woody, glabrous or hairy, not verrucose, shoots from axillary buds). Leaves persistent. Inflorescences solitary flowers, in axils of leaflike bracts at base of current season or older shoots. Pedicels articulated with calyx tube. Flowers (long-pedicellate); sepals 4; petals 4, slightly connate basally, corolla broadly ellipsoid; stamens 8, exserted; anthers without awns, tubules 2-6 mm, (slender), with terminal pores. Berries 4-locular. Seeds 3-12, (ca. 1 mm).

Distribution

North America, Eurasia, circumboreal.

Discussion

Species 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

Camp, W. H. 1944. A preliminary consideration of the biosystematy of Oxycoccus [Vaccinium]. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 71: 426–437.

Jacquemart, A. L. 1997. Vaccinium oxycoccos L. (Oxycoccos palustris Pers.) and Vaccinium microcarpum (Turcz. ex Rupr.) Schmalh. (Oxycoccos microcarpus Turcz. ex Rupr.). J. Ecol. 85: 381–396.

Vander Kloet, S. P. 1983. The taxonomy of Vaccinium sect. Oxycoccos. Rhodora 85: 1–43.

Lower Taxa

Vaccinium macrocarpon, Vaccinium oxycoccos