Pith characteristics distinguishing Vaccinium myrtillus from Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Dana Stružková 1 , Fritz Hans Schweingruber 2 & Yvonne Steiner 2

Affiliations

  1. Archaeological Institute, Department of Spatial Archaeology, Letenská 4, Praha 1, 110 00, Czech Republic
  2. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Reseach (WSL/FNP), Division Landscape Dynamics and Management Research department Landscape, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Abstract

Transverse sections of the stems of Vaccinium myrtillus revealed that the pith is oval, round or drop shaped. In contrast, in V. vitis- idaea it is usually radially angular (triangular, tetragonal etc.). This difference can be used to distinguish the vegetative remains of these plants in peat sediments.

Keywords

Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis-idaea, stem morphology, pith, palaeobotany

How to cite

Stružková D., Schweingruber F. H. & Steiner Y. (2003) Pith characteristics distinguishing Vaccinium myrtillus from Vaccinium vitis-idaea. – Preslia 75: 85–91