Vaccinium Myrtillus

Abstract

Vaccinium myrtillus L. is a shrubby perennial plant that belongs to the family Ericaceae. Vernacular names include bilberry, blueberry, huckleberry, whortleberry, black whortleberry (E); Heidelbeere, Blaubeere, Bickbeere (G); airelle myrtille, myrtillier (F) [1–5]. Some of the English folk names may produce confusion, as they are also in use for related Vaccinium species, such as V. angustifolium (blueberry), V. corymbosum (highbush blueberry) and V. vitis-idaea (mountain cranberry, cowberry, red bilberry, whortleberry, red whortleberry), and for other genera, such as Gaylussacia species [1,2,6].