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Lingonberry / Cowberry🌸
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
コケモモ
A small evergreen shrub in the heath family, widespread across the Boreal Northern Hemisphere. Native to alpine and subalpine rocky areas and conifer forests north of central Honshū in Japan. Low-growing (10–30 cm) with small glossy evergreen leaves and 5–10 mm red berries ripening in autumn. Widely eaten as lingonberry jam or sauce in Northern Europe, traditionally served with meat. In Japan, known and loved as an alpine plant, familiar to hikers.
Identification Points
- ✓Small evergreen shrub, 10–30 cm tall
- ✓Leathery, glossy obovate leaves with brown dots beneath
- ✓Red berries 5–10 mm across
Habitat
Alpine and subalpine zones, under conifers
Season
June to July (flowers); August to September (fruit)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Ovate
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen
Flower color
Pink
Habitat
Mountain
Phylogenetic Positionツツジ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core Eudicots > Ericales > Ericaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous (ca. 80 million years ago)
Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification