Home/Species/ Northern Blueberry

Vaccinium boreale

Hall & Aalders

Northern Blueberry

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155556

Element CodePDERI18050

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderEricales

FamilyEricaceae

GenusVaccinium

Other Common Names

Bleuet boréal (FR) northern blueberry (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

Diploid, formerly considered a variety of V. angustifolium. Old records for "typical" Vaccinium angustifolium may be this species; however, the type of V. angustifolium was apparently a tetraploid plant.

In the United States there is much hybridization with Vaccinium myrtilloides to the extent where no pure populations remain. It will disappear as a species in the U.S. in 200-300 years (Vander Kloet pers. comm. 1997).

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-09-07

Change Date2016-09-07

Edition Date1997-02-19

Edition AuthorsYOUNG, STEPHEN M. (2/97); orig. J. Losey (11/87)

Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences81 to >300

Rank Reasons

Over 100 occurrences, especially in Canada. Reported locally abundant. In the U.S. the species has a restricted habitat and may be seriously impacted by recreational development.

Range Extent Comments

Labrador, Newfoundland, northern Quebec, the Gaspe, outlying stations in Cape Breton, NS, and south to the alpine areas of Maine, White Mountains of New hampshire, Adirondack high peaks of New York, and high peaks of the Green Mountains of Vermont.

Occurrences Comments

Vander Kloet (1977) lists 30+ collection sites, some are outdated. Extant in New Hampshire as of 1981. There are probably a maximum of 1000 occurrences globally (Vander Kloet pers. comm. 1997).

Threat Impact Comments

Canada populations not threatened. U.S. populations threatened by genetic swamping and hiker pressure.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Alpine meadows, forest, tundra, and exposed coastal headlands, occasionally on open rocky uplands in Newfoundland. (Vander Kloet, 1977).

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN4

Province	Rank	Native
Labrador	S4	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	S4	Yes
Nova Scotia	S3	Yes
Quebec	S4	Yes
New Brunswick	S1	Yes

United StatesN3

Province	Rank	Native
New York	S2	Yes
New Hampshire	S2	Yes
Maine	S2	Yes
Vermont	S1	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (3)

New Hampshire (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Great Gulf Ext.	White Mountain National Forest	15,110
Pemigewasset	White Mountain National Forest	32,255
Presidential - Dry River Ext	White Mountain National Forest	10,555

References (4)

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Vander Kloet, S. P. 1983. The taxonomy of Vaccinium section Cyanococcus: a summation. Can. J. Botany 61: 256.
Vander Kloet, S. P. 1997. The taxonomic status of Vaccinium boreale. Can. J. Bot. 55:281-288.
Young, Stephen M. 1997. Memorandum of conversation with Dr. Sam P. Vander Kloet of February 19, 1997 on the global status of <i>Vaccinium boreale</i>.