Vaccinium altomontanum Ashe. Blue Ridge Blueberry. Phen: May-Jun; Jul-Sep. Hab: Grassy balds, heath balds, high elevation forests and woodlands. Dist: Higher mountains of the Southern Blue Ridge, from sw. VA to n. GA.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: The tetraploid V. altomontanum occurs primarily in the Mountains at moderate to high elevations (the type collection is from the Fodderstacks, Macon County, NC); it differs from the diploid V. pallidum in forming tighter (often circular) clones, with taller plants (to 1 m tall), the leaves thick in texture, often revolute, strictly glaucous and glabrous, and with excellent berries.

Synonymy: = Va; = Vaccinium alto-montanum – G, Camp (1945), orthographic variant; > Cyanococcus liparis Small – S, as to type; > Cyanococcus subcordatus Small – S; < Vaccinium corymbosum L. – RAB; < Vaccinium pallidum Aiton – C, FNA8, K1, K3, K4, Tn, Redpath et al (2022)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 6