Blueberries

[Espo55]

Hey yall,

Totally out of the blue but can anyone clarify the difference between vaccinium caesariense and vaccinium corymbosum? I can recognize both by sight but I am unfamiliar with the relationship. I was until recently under the impression that the wild blueberries around south jersey were wild highbush blueberries and that the cultivated plants were the same species but now I've learned they are two species. Is the cultivated highbush (corymbosum) a species derived from breeding of caesariense, or are they two separate species entirely?

I tried to find the information online but couldn't find anything about the specific relationship. Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Espo55]

I see

 

[bobpbx]

I see

Espo55, don't think that we have not pondered your question several times ourselves. It frankly is a hard one to answer. There are subtle differences that cross over between species. I'll bet that like me, most of the field botanists that frequent this site have steered clear of answering this one...not because we don't care about your question, but because these differences are often subjective and hard to discern. Just look what the local field manual says about V. caesariense under the description for V. corymbosum, and you'll see what I mean:

"Highly variable, not readily sorted into recognizable taxa, V. caesariense Mack., a diploid with glabrous, glaucous, entire lvs., glabrous or subglabrous twigs, and blue-glaucous fr. is +- distingquishable from the variable remainder of the group, diploid or often polyploid, with variously entire or serrulate, glabrous or hairy lvs and twigs or blue or often black fruit".

Source: Gleason, Henry A., and A. Cronquist. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada 2nd ed. New York Botanical Garden, 1991.

What the hell do you do with that description? Not so cut and dry. I defer to those who feel they have mastered the distinction between the two.

 

[Teegate]

I bet that mess took some time to type.

 

[46er]

Is the question like a 'Is it tomahto, or is it tomayto?' question?

 

[PINEY WARDEN]

I am sure you can get an answer from Rutgers Research Center in Oswego if you speak to Dr. Nick Vorsa. This sort of stuff is his specialty.

 

[Espo55]

Espo55, don't think that we have not pondered your question several times ourselves. It frankly is a hard one to answer. There are subtle differences that cross over between species. I'll bet that like me, most of the field botanists that frequent this site have steered clear of answering this one...not because we don't care about your question, but because these differences are often subjective and hard to discern. Just look what the local field manual says about V. caesariense under the description for V. corymbosum, and you'll see what I mean:

"Highly variable, not readily sorted into recognizable taxa, V. caesariense Mack., a diploid with glabrous, glaucous, entire lvs., glabrous or subglabrous twigs, and blue-glaucous fr. is +- distingquishable from the variable remainder of the group, diploid or often polyploid, with variously entire or serrulate, glabrous or hairy lvs and twigs or blue or often black fruit".

Source: Gleason, Henry A., and A. Cronquist. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada 2nd ed. New York Botanical Garden, 1991.

What the hell do you do with that description? Not so cut and dry. I defer to those who feel they have mastered the distinction between the two.

Thanks for getting to me haha. I'll tell you what, I didn't realize the question was not cut and dry when I asked... I suppose even the botanical sphere is still splitting those hairs. And the reason I asked is because when I am in the field I see v. caesariense all over the place and v. corymbosum all over the place, as well as plants that I know are blueberries but have qualities of both the two of them and I wouldn't readily identify as either species with certainty. I didn't realize it would be so difficult to address!