Vaccinium arkansanum Ashe

  • Authority

    Sargent, Charles S. 1889. Vaccinium hirsutum. Gard. & Forest. 2: 364, 365, fig. 119.

  • Family

    Ericaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Vaccinium arkansanum Ashe

  • Type

    Type locality: "6 miles north of Hot Springs, Arkansas, on the Little Rock road." This species apparently is not yet in cultivation.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Plants usually with several stems, crown-forming or, if disturbed, suckering from a fairly small base, 2-4 m. high. Leaves deep green; the lower surface nonglandular, pubescent; broadly elliptic or ovate, the apex often acute, 3-4 cm. wide, 6-8 cm. long; the margin entire. Corolla cylindro-urceolate, 6-8 mm. long, greenish-white, often with pink or red stripes, or the whole surface suffused with pink. Fruit usually dull black, but occasionally subglaucous, 7-10 mm. in diam., of poor flavor.

  • Discussion

    Probably tetraploid.

    Although we do not yet have precise information on the chromosome complement of V. arkaansanum, the following may be noted: (1) it bears the same morphological relation to the diploid atrococcum as the tetraploid australe does to the diploid caesariense; (2) there is no evidence that it has hybridized with any of the diploids or hexaploids with which it has come into contact, but it has with the tetraploids such as myrsinites, virgat'unm, and a.ustrale; (3) it appears to be one of the basic elements underlying the hexaploid V. ashei complex, other basic members of which are known to be tetraploid; and (4) a plant with something of the appearance of arkcacnsannum, but from the western ("arkansanoid") segment of corymbosum, has been found to be tetraploid (2n = 48). Faced with this array of evidenee, there can be little doubt that V. arkansanum is tetraploid. As yet I have been unable to locate authentic type material; however, the original description agrees fairly well with material from that region which is here included in this species. In local areas in Florida it seems to "pass into" fuscaturm, probably as a result of gene-exchange with it.

  • Distribution

    Northern Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas; sandy lake and stream margins, or in swamps, occasionally in open flat-woods or on low ridges.

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