Phyllodoce empetriformis : Pink MountainHeather

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Genera: Phyllodoce (Mountain Heather) (A sea-nymph of early Greek mythology.)

Species: empetriformis (Empetrum=Crowberry + formis=shaped; referring to this plants likeness to Crowberry (E.nigrum))

English Name(s):

Pink MountainHeather, Pink/Red Mountain Heath

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Low matted shrubs.
• Stems erect to ascending, 5-20 cm long.

Leaves:

• Simple (not compound or lobed).
• 3-10 mm long.
• Evergreen. leathery, densely crowded, overlapping, alternate.
• Linear (needle-like), with blunt to pointed tip.
• Margins abscurely glandular (with glands) serrate (toothed).

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular (symetrical).
• Corollas (petals) united, 5-lobed, bell-shaped, pink to purple.
• Flowers several but born singly in axils or upper leaves.
• Ovary 5 loculed (chambered).
• Pedicels (stalks) glandular-hairy (hair-like glands) over a fine pubescence (hair). usually over 1 cm long.
• Sepals 5, seperate or nearly so, 2-3 mm long, reddish.
• Stamens (male parts) 10.

Seed:

• Fruit a dry capsule 2.5-3.5 mm long, glandular-pubescent (hair-like glands).

Not to Be Confused With:

• As the name suggests this plant is somewhat simmilar to Empetrum nigrum (Crowberry). P.empetriformis is easily distinguished by its lack of berries and its bright pink flowers.

Physiology:

• The narrow, waxy, grooved leaves are designed for water conservation.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Blooms mid-July-early August.
• Leaves are evergreen.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Alpine tundra, timberline meadows and heathlands.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: