Panarctic Flora

741305c Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. occidentale (A. Gray) Hultén

• Hultén, Ark. Bot., n. s., 7, 1: 100 (1968). - Vaccinium occidentale A. Gray, Bot. California 1: 451 (1876). Lectotype (GH): U.S.A.: California, Mariposa Co., Yosemite Valley near Mono Trail, 1866, leg. H.N. Bolander 6299 (P.K. Holmgren in Holmgren and Holmgren 2004: 253).
• ?Vaccinium salicinum Cham. & Schltdl., Linnaea 1: 525 (1826). Described from Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands (Alaska). - ?Vaccinium uliginosum var. salicinum (Cham. & Schltdl.) Hultén, Fl. Aleut. Isl.: 268 (1937).

2n= (1) 36 (6x). - Alaska (Kodiak Island). - Young (1965, for V. uliginosum but within the area of subsp. occidentale).
(2) 72 (12x). - Far East (Japan), Alaska (S). - Hara (1953); Young (1965, for V. uliginosum but within the area of subsp. occidentale, 1970a).

Geography: Amphi-Pacific: (ALA).

Notes: Subspecies occidentale probably reaches the Borderline Arctic in southwestern Alaska.

Alsos and Elven: A merger with subsp. pedris is possible. However, subsp. occidentale mainly occurs south of the Beringian regions (and the Cordilleran glaciations), whereas subsp. pedris may be confined to the Beringian parts (north of the glaciations). There may be a history of isolation and subsequent migration of subsp. occidentale north to southern Alaska.

From morphological evidence, Young (1970a) recognized V. uliginosum subsp. occidentale with two varieties: var. occidentale in non-arctic western U.S.A. and Canada and var. salicinum in the Aleutian Islands and southern Alaska, with intermediates towards var. occidentale in southeastern Alaska. Hultén (1968b) doubted the identity of Chamisso's Vaccinium salicinum with this race. He wrote: "It corresponds to the above-mentioned narrow-leaved forms in Scandinavia, is very variable and occurs occasionally and does not form a continuous taxon. In a strict sense it consists of the type specimen only. To take it as a variety is perhaps too much. It is rather a form".