Cassiope tetragona

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Divisio: Magnoliophyta
Classis: Magnoliopsida
Ordo: Ericales
Familia: Ericaceae
Subfamilia: Cassiopoideae
Genus: Cassiope
Species: Cassiope tetragona
Subspecies: C. t. subsp. saximontana - C. t. subsp. tetragona

Name

Cassiope tetragona (L.) D.Don

Synonyms

Basionym

* Andromeda tetragona L.

References

* Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal. Edinburgh 17:158. 1834
* USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Data from 07-Oct-06]. 9414

Vernacular names
English: Arctic bell-heather, White arctic mountain heather, Arctic white heather

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Cassiope tetragona (common names include Arctic bell-heather, white arctic mountain heather and Arctic white heather) is a plant native to the high Arctic and northern Norway, where it is found widely.

Growing to 10–20 cm in height, it is a strongly-branched dwarf shrub. The leaves are grooved, evergreen, and scale-like in 4 rows. Pedicels are long and arched. The plant bears bell-shaped, solitary flowers usually with white and pink lobes and pink anthers. The flower stalks and sepals are red, but the petals may also be yellowish-white. The anthers can also be brownish-yellow and flower stalks and sepals yellowish-green.

It grows on ridges and heaths, often in abundance and forming a distinctive and attractive plant community.