[Moderator note: Split from the discussion of Arctous rubra. Please note that any member can start a new thread in any section. :)]
It is a narrow headline of this thread! Can't discern the difference between A. rubra and A. alpina. We did discuss that in another thread once, didn't we?
I said narrow because I don't know where to put my pictures - I'm afraid of messing your thread up, Cohan ;)
Although I don't know A rubra, I am familiar with A. alpina and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. But your pictures Cohan, reminds me very much of the homely stuff. However do A rubra prefere more alkaline soil as it grows along Dryas?
Here are some pictures of Arctous alpina from "my place". Here it grows with Loiseleuria procumbens, Empetrum nigrum ssp hermafroditum
, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Betula nana and lichen on poor sandy moraine soil.
Comments
Re: Arctous alpina
No expert, either, but I was under the impression that 'rubra' has red fruit and alpina black, though it was a while ago I was reading about it, and can't remember how absolute the character is..
I'm just on for a few minutes now, so I can't dig up the soil preferences of rubra, though what I'm remembering is that it is not that exclusive to any soil type- I presume the soil in the site I pictured must be rather alkaline, being glacial till and run off in mostly(?) limestone mountains.. the plants may make their own acid surface layer, but it can't be deep...
Re: Arctous alpina
Thanks Lori! I am not sure I would notice the difference except if I studied both at the same time ;) The alpina berries are red before they turn black :-\
I certainly don't know the difference either, but you can wade through these descriptions if you like. :)
From them, it appears that leaf size and rugosity, fruit colour are some of the major differences.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=102499
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220001044
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250092314