partridgeberry
Mitchella repens
The partridgeberry is unique because it takes two pollinated flowers to produce just one berry; the two ovaries fuse together to form a single fruit.
- Scientific name
- Mitchella repens
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Gentianales › Rubiaceae › Mitchella
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Damp, acidic forest floors, often found under the shade of conifers or deciduous trees.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (Autotroph)
- Range
- Eastern North America, Appalachia, Great Lakes Region, Maritime Canada
- Size
- Creeping vine 1-2 inches tall, forming mats up to 3 feet wide
- Lifespan
- Perennial (clones can live for decades)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, competition from invasive species like garlic mustard, and over-collection for winter decorations.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This low-growing vine is safe to touch. The berries are edible but bland; avoid over-harvesting from the wild to preserve local populations and food sources for wildlife.
Mitchella repens ( partridge berry , or squaw vine ) is the best known plant in the genus Mitchella . It is a creeping prostrate herbaceous woody shrub occurring in North America belonging to the madder family (Rubiaceae).
Photo: mikoikoi, CC0, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/20fef01f-1e03-455a-a22f-aa19628e968e.md