Mountain heather [Greek mythological Cassiope, wife of Cepheus and mother of Andromeda]

Gary D. Wallace

Stems decumbent to prostrate, spreading, ascending, or erect, mat-forming, glabrous or hairy. Leaves: blade canoe-shaped, without abaxial groove, or dorsiventrally expanded by marginal outgrowths forming abaxial groove, margins entire, thin or scarious, surfaces glabrous or glandular or hairy. Pedicels erect with deflexed tip at anthesis, elongating (or not) and straight in fruit; bracteoles absent. Flowers: sepals ± distinct, oblong-ovate; filaments not enlarged at base; anthers with awns; ovary subglobose to ovoid; style cylindric; stigma capitate. Capsules borne on erect pedicels, subglobose to ovoid. x = 13.

Species 18 (3 in the flora): North America, n Europe, Asia.

Lower Taxa

• Cassiope lycopodioides (Pallas) D. Don
• Cassiope mertensiana (Bongard) G. Don
• Cassiope mertensiana subsp. californica Piper
• Cassiope mertensiana subsp. ciliolata Piper
• Cassiope mertensiana subsp. gracilis Piper
• Cassiope mertensiana subsp. mertensiana
• Cassiope tetragona (Linnaeus) D. Don
• Cassiope tetragona subsp. saximontana (Small) A. E. Porsild
• Cassiope tetragona subsp. tetragona