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Home/Species/ Southern Mountain Cranberry

Vaccinium erythrocarpum

Michx.

Southern Mountain Cranberry

G5Secure Found in 28 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.156604
Element CodePDERI180E0
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
Highbush Cranberry (EN) southern mountain cranberry (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
According to S.P. vander Kloet (discussion with L. Morse, Aug. 1994; see also Rhodora 93: 226-237, 1991), includes two subspecies, one a high-mountain endemic of the southern Appalachian mountains, the other a more abundant plant of eastern Asia, particularly Japan and China. LEM 12Aug94.
Conservation Status
Review Date1994-08-12
Change Date1994-08-12
Edition Date1994-08-12
Edition AuthorsMorse, Larry E.
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Common in eastern Asia, especially Japan; locally frequent in the southern Appalachians.
Range Extent Comments
Occurs in two disjunct areas; southern Appalachians of the U.S., and eastern Asia (esp. Japan and China). Map in Rhodora 93: 226-237.
Occurrences Comments
Locally common in the southern Appalachians; S.P. vander Kloet says the Asian subspecies is even more common in Japan.
Threat Impact Comments
Decline of spruce (or spruce-fir) forests may affect abundance. Threats in Asia not known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Cool, high-elevation forests, often associated with red spruce.
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaS4Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
KentuckyS1Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
GeorgiaS1Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (28)
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Miller CreekChattahoochee National Forest701
North Carolina (10)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
SnowbirdNantahala National Forest8,489
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Virginia (8)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Garden MountainJefferson National Forest3,960
Lewis Fork AdditionJefferson National Forest749
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
West Virginia (8)
AreaForestAcres
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
References (1)
  1. 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.