Empetrum eamesii

Bar is 5 mm. Twigs of E, eamesii are readily distinguished from the other two Nova Scotian crowberries by the white, tomentose (hairy) nature of the young twigs, which is lacking in E. nigrum and C. conradii.

Distinguishing C. conradii from E. nigrum can sometimes be challenging when there are no reproductive structures present, especially on drier sites where E. nigrum takes on a more branched, erect growth habit similar to that of C. conradii. Some features I (JackPine) have found helpful:

• Leaves on twigs of C. conradii tend to be ascending, while they tend to be spreading or turned downward in E. nigrum (but they are sometimes ascending).
• Leaves of C. conradii tend to be narrower and longer than those of E. nigrum.
• Stems of younger twigs tend to have more red coloration in E. nigrum than in C. conradii.
• Old, dead leaves tend to remain attached for some time on E. nigrum, much less so on C. conradii - see photographs on pages for C. conradii and E. nigrum.

Corema conradii

Empetrum nigrum

Empetrum eamesii

Corema conradii

Empetrum nigrum