Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Bearberry

Flower Side

Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
19-June-2008

Note the urceolate corolla.

Note that the key to the genera in Flora of Alberta requires that the flowers are NOT white, in terminal clusters.  In fact, the the flowers are white to pink and are in terminal clusters.  The rest of the answers to the keys are listed below.

bullet

Uva-ursi: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
bullet

branchlets puberulent or pubescent; NOT [branchlets glabrous]

bullet

leaves evergreen; NOT [leaves deciduous or marcescent]

bullet

leaves leathery; NOT [leaves thin]

bullet

leaves 1-3 cm long; NOT [leaves 2-5 cm long]

bullet

leaves entire; NOT [leaves crenate-serrate or serrulate]

bullet

leaves NOT conspicuously veiny, leaves NOT strongly reticulate below

bullet

drupe dry and mealy; NOT [drupe juicy]

 

bullet

Arctostaphylos: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
bullet

stems prostrate to decumbent or creeping; NOT [stems erect]

bullet

branches and leaves NOT scaly

bullet

branches and leaves NOT scurfy

bullet

leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite]

bullet

leaves leathery

bullet

leaves usually less than 2 cm long; NOT [leaves 2-6 cm long]

bullet

leaves elliptic or obovate

bullet

leaves NOT rusty-tomentose beneath

bullet

leaves NOT resinous-dotted beneath

bullet

flowers terminal; NOT [flowers axillary]

bullet

flowers in clusters; NOT [flowers solitary]

bullet

flowers smaller than 1-2 cm across

bullet

calyx NOT [accrescent and fleshy in fruit]

bullet

petals more or less united; NOT [petals free]

bullet

ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

bullet

fruit fleshy; NOT [fruit a dry capsule]

 

bullet

Ericaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family. 
bullet

shrubs or trees; NOT [herbs]

bullet

leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite or whorled]

bullet

flowers NOT in heads

bullet

flowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell

bullet

ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

bullet

fruit many-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]