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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Vaccinium''
| image = Vaccinium corymbosum(01).jpg
| image_width = 245px
| image_caption = ''Vaccinium corymbosum''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Ericales]]
| familia = [[Ericaceae]]
| genus = '''''Vaccinium'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}
'''''Vaccinium''''' is a [[genus]] of [[shrub]]s in the plant Family [[Ericaceae]] including the [[cranberry]], [[blueberry]], [[bilberry]] or whortleberry, [[cowberry]] or lingonberry, and [[huckleberry]]. The genus contains about 450 species, which are found mostly in the cooler areas of the [[Northern Hemisphere]], although there are tropical species from as widely separated areas as Madagascar and Hawai'i. The plants prefer [[heath (habitat)|heath]] landscapes, as well as open forests. The name ''Vaccinium'' was used for a type of berry (probably the [[bilberry]] ''V. myrtillus'') in classical Latin, but its ultimate derivation is obscure; it has nothing to do with ''vaccinum'' "of or pertaining to [[cow]]s", but may be a corruption of Latin ''bacca'', [[berry]] ([[OED]]).
The [[fruit]] develops from an inferior ovary, and is a [[berry]].
''Vaccinium'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of a number of [[Lepidoptera]] species - see [[list of Lepidoptera which feed on Vaccinium]].
The taxonomy is complex, and still under investigation; there are two subgenera, and several sections:
;Subgenus '''''Oxycoccus''''': The [[cranberry|cranberries]], with slender, trailing, wiry non-woody shoots and strongly reflexed flower petals. Some botanists treat ''Oxycoccus'' as a distinct genus.
*Sect. ''Oxycoccus''
**''[[Cranberry|Vaccinium macrocarpon]]'' (American Cranberry)
**''[[Cranberry|Vaccinium microcarpum]]'' (Small Cranberry)
**''[[Cranberry|Vaccinium oxycoccus]]'' (Common Cranberry)
*Sect. ''Oxycoccoides''
**''[[Southern Mountain Cranberry|Vaccinium erythrocarpum]]'' (Southern Mountain Cranberry)
;Subgenus '''''Vaccinium''''': All the other species, with thicker, upright woody shoots and bell-shaped flowers.
*Sect. ''Batodendron''
**''[[Vaccinium arboreum]]'' (Sparkleberry) ([http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/vaar.htm images])
**''[[Creeping blueberry|Vaccinium crassifolium]]'' (Creeping blueberry)
*Sect. ''Brachyceratium''
**''[[Vaccinium dependens]]''
*Sect. ''Bracteata''
**''[[Vaccinium acrobracteatum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium barandanum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium bracteatum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium coriaceum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium cornigerum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium cruentum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium hooglandii]]''
**''[[Vaccinium horizontale]]''
**''[[Vaccinium laurifolium]]''
**''[[Vaccinium lucidum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium myrtoides]]''
**''[[Vaccinium phillyreoides]]''
**''[[Vaccinium reticulatovenosum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium sparsum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium varingifolium]]''
*Sect. ''Ciliata''
**''[[Vaccinium ciliatum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium oldhamii]]''
*Sect. ''Cinctosandra''
**''[[Vaccinium exul]]''
*Sect. ''Conchophyllum''
**''[[Vaccinium corymbodendron]]''
**''[[Vaccinium delavayi]]''
**''[[Vaccinium emarginatum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium griffithianum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium meridionale]]''
**''[[Vaccinium moupinense]]'' (Himalayan Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium neilgherrense]]''
**''[[Vaccinium nummularia]]''
**''[[Vaccinium retusum]]''
*Sect. ''Cyanococcus'' ([[blueberry|blueberries]])
**''[[Vaccinium angustifolium]]'' (Lowbush Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium boreale]]'' (Northern Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium caesariense]]'' (New Jersey Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium corymbosum]]'' (Highbush Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium darrowii]]''
**''[[Vaccinium elliottii]]''
**''[[Vaccinium formosum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium fuscatum]]'' (Black Highbush Blueberry; syn. ''V. atrococcum'')
**''[[Vaccinium hirsutum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium koreanum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium myrsinites]]'' (Evergreen Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium myrtilloides]]'' (Canadian Blueberry)
**''[[Vaccinium pallidum]]'' (Dryland Blueberry) ([http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/vapa4.htm images])
**''[[Vaccinium simulatum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium tenellum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium virgatum]]'' (Rabbiteye Blueberry; syn. ''V. ashei'')
*Sect. ''Eococcus''
**''[[Vaccinium fragile]]''
*Sect. ''Epigynium''
**''[[Vaccinium vacciniaceum]]''
*Sect. ''Galeopetalum''
**''[[Vaccinium chunii]]''
**''[[Vaccinium dunalianum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium glaucoalbum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium urceolatum]]''
*Sect. ''Hemimyrtillus''
**''[[Vaccinium arctostaphylos]]''
**''[[Vaccinium cylindraceum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium hirtum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium padifolium]]''
**''[[Vaccinium smallii]]''
*Sect. ''Myrtillus''
**''[[Vaccinium calycinum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium cespitosum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium deliciosum]]'' (Cascade Bilberry)
**''[[Vaccinium dentatum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium membranaceum]]''
**''[[Bilberry|Vaccinium myrtillus]]'' (Bilberry)
**''[[Vaccinium ovalifolium]]'' (Alaska Blueberry; syn. ''V. alaskaense'')
**''[[Vaccinium parvifolium]]'' (Red Huckleberry)
**''[[Vaccinium praestans]]''
**''[[Vaccinium reticulatum]]'' (ohelo 'ai)
**''[[Vaccinium scoparium]]'' (Grouse Whortleberry)
*Sect. ''Neurodesia''
**''[[Vaccinium crenatum]]''
*Sect. ''Oarianthe''
**''[[Vaccinium ambyandrum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium cyclopense]]''
*Sect. ''Oreades''
**''[[Vaccinium poasanum]]''
*Sect. ''Pachyanthum''
**''[[Vaccinium fissiflorum]]''
*Sect. ''Polycodium''
**''[[Vaccinium stamineum]]'' (Deerberry; syn. ''V. caesium'') ([http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/vast.htm images])
*Sect. ''Pyxothamnus''
**''[[Vaccinium consanguineum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium floribundum]]''
**''[[Vaccinium ovatum]]'' (California Huckleberry)
*Sect. ''Vaccinium''
**''[[Vaccinium uliginosum]]'' (Northern (or Bog) Bilberry; syn. ''V. occidentale'')
*Sect. ''Vitis-idaea''
**''[[Vaccinium vitis-idaea]]'' (Cowberry, Lingonberry)
==References and external links==
*[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?12610 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Vaccinium'']
[[Category:Ericaceae]]