Vaccinium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Vaccinium | |
|---|---|
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| Vaccinium berries, from top left clockwise: Red huckleberry, cranberry, lingonberry and blueberry |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Vaccinium L. |
Vaccinium is a genus of plants. All of these plants are shrubs. They are in the family Ericaceae. The plants grow fruits on them. Well-known species of Vaccinium are blueberries, cranberries and huckleberries.
In total, there are about 450 species, which are found in the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. There are a few tropical species, that grow in places like Madagascar or Hawaii. The plants usually grow in heath landscapes or in forests.
The larvae of a number of lepidoptera species (moths and butterflies are examples of lepidoptera) grow on these plants.
