Empetraceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

ExpandRead about Empetraceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Empetraceae (from the genus Empetrum, an ancient name signifying upon a rock). Crowberry Family. Fig. 33. Small ericoid shrubs: leaves alternate, deeply furrowed beneath: flowers polygamous or dioecious, small, regular, hypogynous; disk wanting; sepals 2-3, imbricated; petals 2-3, or 0; stamens of the same number as the petals and alternate with them; ovary superior, 2-9-celled, each cell 1-ovuled; style- branches 2-9, often fringed or toothed: fruit drupaceous; seed ascending, anatropous, albuminous; micropyle turned toward the outside. In the north temperate and arctic regions, and in the Andes, are found 3 genera and about 5 species. The family is related to the Buxaceae, and more distantly to the Euphorbiaceae and Celastraceae. The habit, the reduced or absent corolla, the few stamens, the 1-seeded ovary, the external micropyle, and the absence of the disk and aril are together distinctive. The acid berries of Empetrum are eaten in north Europe and Kamtschatka, and also used to prepare a drink. The fruit of Corema album has been used as a fever remedy. An acid drink is prepared from it in Portugal. In North America, 2 genera are in cultivation: Ceratiola, not hardy; and Empetrum (Crowberry), grown in rock-gardens. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

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