whort

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bilberry
• common-blueberry
• dwarf bilberry
• dwarf whortleberry
• low bilberry
• myrtle blueberry
• myrtle whortleberry
• whortleberry
• Blaeberry
• European blueberry
• whinberry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Vitis-idaea myrtillus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Ericales and the family Ericaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Vaccinium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Vaccinium myrtillus, exhibits a widespread distribution across several regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally throughout the landscapes of Denmark and Finland. The species also extends its reach to the islands of Føroyaar and Iceland. Furthermore, its habitat encompasses various parts of Great Britain. Together, these locations highlight the plant's preference for the northernmost territories of the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vaccinium myrtillus is characterized by its adaptability to diverse and often harsh environments, spanning across arctic, forest, and tundra habitats. This species demonstrates a specific niche preference regarding altitude, primarily thriving within a specialized elevational range. Based on ecological data, its distribution is concentrated between a minimum elevation of 2200 m AMSL and a maximum of 2500 m AMSL, maintaining a mean elevation of approximately 2350 m AMSL. This preference for high-altitude zones suggests a high tolerance for the climatic conditions typical of subarctic and montane ecosystems, where it plays a vital role in the structural composition of its native habitats.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2350 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2200 m AMSL

Habitat :

arctic, forest, tundra

Life history

The life history of Vaccinium myrtillus is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, meaning it persists through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle in a single year. It is classified biologically as a chamaephyte, a life form where the reproductive buds are located close to the soil surface, often protected by leaf litter or snow during unfavorable conditions. As a deciduous species, it undergoes a seasonal cycle of shedding its foliage, losing its leaves annually to conserve resources and withstand colder periods before regrowing them in the spring.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Vaccinium myrtillus is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub. It is a terrestrial, self-supporting plant that operates independently, functioning neither as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 0.281 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.281 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vaccinium myrtillus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy. The foliage exhibits distinct morphological dimensions, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 2.8 cm, maintaining a mean leaf length of 1.9 cm. The width of the leaves varies between a minimum of 0.6 cm and a maximum of 1.3 cm, contributing to a mean leaf size of approximately 0.74885 cm². Furthermore, the plant demonstrates a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 207.2 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass distribution and resource allocation strategies.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

2.8 cm

Leaf length mean:

1.9 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf size mean:

0.74885 cm²

Leaf width max:

1.3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.6 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

207.2 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vaccinium myrtillus is primarily a sexual process facilitated by bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being absent. The flowering period typically commences in April and extends through June. The plant relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects, with bees being a key pollinator. Notably, self-fertilization is absent, highlighting the importance of cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant develops fleshy, indehiscent fruit classified as a berry. These berries typically measure between 0.6 cm and 1 cm in both length and width, with average dimensions of 0.72 cm in length and 0.735 cm in width. The dispersal syndrome is zoochorous, specifically via endozoochory, where animals consume the fruit and disperse the seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small, characterized by a mean mass of approximately 0.016478 g (ranging from 0.00026 g to 0.0004 g) and a consistent volume of 0.17 mm³.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.72 cm

Fruit length min:

0.6 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.735 cm

Fruit width min:

0.6 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

4e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0164783333333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00026 g

Seed volume max:

0.17 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Vaccinium myrtillus has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit.

Leaf

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fruit

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Vaccinium myrtillus has 211 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, Hyperoside, CHLOROGENIC ACID, RUTIN.

Anthocyanins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Nutrients
4. Journal of microencapsulation
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Nutrients
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hyperoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product research
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

polyphenols

1. Methods (San Diego, Calif.)
2. Journal of microencapsulation
3. Acta pharmaceutica Hungarica
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Isoquercetin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

ascorbic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrients
3. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

ANTHOCYANIN

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Astragalin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Vaccinium myrtillus has 769 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antiaging, Antiallergenic, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Nutrients
4. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Neural regeneration research

Antimicrobial

1. Discovery medicine
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Nutrients

Antiaging

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrients

Antiallergenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Discovery medicine

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Recent patents on inflammation & allergy drug discovery

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Conditions

Vaccinium myrtillus has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include oxidative stress, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenalis.

Oxidative stress

1. Nutrients
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
3. Frontiers in pharmacology

Cancer

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Type 2 diabetes

1. Voprosy pitaniia
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Cryptosporidium parvum

1. Methods (San Diego, Calif.)

Giardia duodenalis

1. Methods (San Diego, Calif.)

Age-related macular degeneration

1. Neural regeneration research

Cancers

1. Open life sciences

Cardiovascular disease

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Cataract

1. Alternative medicine review : a journal of clinical therapeutic

Preparations

Vaccinium myrtillus has 5 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include anthocyanoside complex, aqueous extracts of berries, extracts, extracts of bilberry fruit, plant extracts.

Anthocyanoside complex

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous extracts of berries

1. Voprosy virusologii

Extracts

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Extracts of bilberry fruit

1. Journal of natural products

Plant extracts

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)