Vaccinium padifolium

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Ordo: Ericales

Familia: Ericaceae
Subfamilia: Vaccinioideae
Tribus: Vaccinieae
Genus: Vaccinium
Sectio: V. sect. Hemimyrtillus
Species: Vaccinium padifolium
Name

Vaccinium padifolium Sm., 1817
Synonyms

Vaccinium arctostaphylos Willd.
Vaccinium maderense Link

Homonyms

Vaccinium padifolium Hochst. ex Steud. = Vaccinium cylindraceum Sm

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
References
Primary references

Smith, J.E. in A. Rees, 1817. Cyclopaedia, or, an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences 36: Vaccinium no. 22. 1817

Links

Hassler, M. 2020. Vaccinium padifolium. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2020. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 May 29. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Vaccinium padifolium in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 May 29. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Vaccinium padifolium. Published online. Accessed: May 29 2020.
Tropicos.org 2020. Vaccinium padifolium. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 May 29.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Vaccinium padifolium in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 2020 May 29.

Vernacular names
English: Madeira blueberry
português: Uveira, uva-da-serra, remania

Vaccinium padifolium (Madeira blueberry) is very common at elevations between 800 and 1,700 metres (2,600 and 5,600 ft). It grows mainly in crevices and exposed slopes and mountain plains. Fruits are used in preserves. It is endemic to the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, Portugal.

Description

It is a semi-evergreen scrub to small tree 1.5–6 m tall. New branches are generally reddish and pubescent. Leaves are often flushed dark red in autumn 2.5–7 × 1–2(2.5) cm, oblong to elliptic, acute to acuminate, petiole short, pubescent. Calyx 3–4 mm, with five short, broad lobes up to 1.5 mm. Flowers on curved pedicels in erect, axillary, bracteate racemes. Corolla, 7–10 mm, globose to campanulate, the lobes very short. There are often five broad rose stripes on the white corolla. Berries up to 12 × 10 mm, ripening blue-black.
Chemistry

The blue color of the berries is due to anthocyanins (Delphinidin 3-O-α-rhamnoside and anthocyanins triglycosides).[1]
Picture gallery

Vaccinium padifolium shrubs on a slope in front of a view of São Vicente in Madeira, Portugal.

Vaccinium padifolium bushes on a slope in front of a view towards São Vicente.

Vaccinium padifolium.

Vaccinium padifolium, flowers.

Vaccinium padifolium.

Vaccinium padifolium, autumn leaves.

Vaccinium padifolium, over 2 m high shrub.

References

Anthocyanin trisaccharides in blue berries of Vaccinium padifolium. Luis Cabrita, Nils Åge Frøystein and Øyvind M. Andersen, Food Chemistry, Volume 69, Issue 1, April 2000, Pages 33–36, doi:10.1016/S0308-8146(99)00230-7

Flora Endémica da Madeira, Roberto Jardim, David Francisco, Múchia, Publicações, 1ªed, 2000, Portugal, ISBN 972-8622-00-7
J. R. Press and M. J. Short, Flora of Madeira, ISBN 9781 898 29880 9, 2001, Natural History Museum, UK,