Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Vaccinium vitis-idaea differs from the related cranberries in having white flowers with petals partially enclosing the stamens and stigma, rather than pink flowers with petals reflexed backwards, and rounder, less pear-shaped berries.Vaccinium oxycoccos is similar.^[13]

Hybrids between Vaccinium vitis-idaea and V. myrtillus, named Vaccinium × intermediumRuthe, are occasionally found in Europe.

There are two regional varieties or subspecies of V. vitis-idaea, one in Eurasia and one in North America, differing in leaf size:

• V. vitis-idaea var. vitis-idaea L.—syn.V. vitis-idaea subsp. vitis-idaea.cowberry. Eurasia. Leaves are 10–30 mm (1⁄2–1+1⁄4 in) long.
• V. vitis-idaea var. minus Lodd.—syn. V. vitis-idaea subsp. minus (Lodd.) Hultén.lingonberry. North America. Leaves are 5–18 mm (1⁄4–3⁄4 in) long.^[9]

Vaccinium vitis-idaea is most commonly known in English as 'lingonberry' or 'cowberry'.^[14][15][16] The name 'lingonberry' originates from the Swedish name lingon ([ˈlɪŋɔn]^ⓘ) for the species deriving from Old Norselyngr, a cognate (thus also a doublet) to 'ling'.^[17]

The genus nameVaccinium is a classical Latin name for a plant, possibly the bilberry or hyacinth, and may be derived from the Latin bacca, 'berry'.^[18][19] The specific name is derived from Latin vitis ('vine') and idaea, the feminine form of idaeus (literally 'from Mount Ida', used in reference to raspberries Rubus idaeus).^[20][21]

Worldwide, Vaccinium vitis-idaea is known by at least 25 other common English names, including:^[14]

生のリンゴンベリーは、水分が86%、炭水化物が13%、タンパク質が1%で、脂肪はごくわずかしか含まれていません。^{[ 28 ]} 100グラム（3.5オンス）の基準量では、リンゴンベリーは54kcalを供給し、ビタミンC、ビタミンB群、および食物性ミネラルの低～中程度の供給源です。^{[ 28 ]}

The berries collected in the wild are a popular fruit in northern, central and eastern Europe, notably in the Nordic countries,^[29] the Baltic states, central and northern Europe. In some areas, they can be picked legally on both public and private lands in accordance with the freedom to roam.^[30]

The berries are quite tart, so they are often cooked and sweetened before eating as lingonberry jam, compote, juice, smoothie or syrup. The raw fruits are also frequently simply mashed with sugar. Fruit served this way or as compote often accompanies game and liver dishes.

In Sweden the traditional Swedish meatballs are served with lingonberry jam alongside boiled or mashed potatoes and gravy sauce. In Sweden, Finland and Norway, reindeer and elk steaks are traditionally served with gravy and lingonberry sauce. Preserved fruit is commonly eaten with meatballs, as well as potato pancakes. A traditional Swedish dessert is lingonpäron (literally 'lingonberry pears'), consisting of fresh pears which are peeled, boiled and preserved in lingondricka (lingonberry juice) and is commonly eaten during Christmas. This was very common in old times, because it was an easy way to preserve pears. In Sweden and Russia, when sugar was still a luxury item, the berries were usually preserved simply by putting them whole into bottles of water. This was known as vattlingon (watered lingonberries); the procedure preserved them until next season. This was also a home remedy against scurvy.

This traditional Russian soft drink, known as "lingonberry water", is mentioned by Alexander Pushkin in Eugene Onegin. In Russian folk medicine, lingonberry water was used as a mild laxative. A traditional Finnish dish is sautéed reindeer (poronkäristys) with mashed potatoes and lingonberries on the side, either raw, thawed or as a jam. In Finland, whipped semolina pudding flavored with lingonberry (puolukkapuuro) is also popular. In Poland, the berries are often mixed with pears to create a sauce served with poultry or game. The berries can also be used to replace redcurrants when creating Cumberland sauce.

The berries are also popular as a wild picked fruit or fruit crop in Newfoundland and Labrador, where they are locally known as partridgeberries or redberries. In this region they are incorporated into jams, syrups, fruit wines, cocktail bitters, sauces, and baked goods, such as pies, scones, cakes, and muffins.^[31]

In Sweden lingonberries are often sold as jam and juice, and as a key ingredient in dishes. They are used to make Lillehammer berry liqueur; and, in East European countries, lingonberry vodka is sold, and vodka with lingonberry juice or mors is a cocktail.

The berries are an important food for bears and foxes, and many fruit-eating birds. Caterpillars of the case-bearer moths Coleophora glitzella, Coleophora idaeella and Coleophora vitisella are obligate feeders on V. vitis-idaea leaves.

伝統医学では、V. vitis-idaeaは食前酒や収斂剤として使用されていました。^{[ 44 ]}上タナナ族は、その実を食べたり、ジュースを使って軽度の呼吸器疾患を治療していました。^{[ 37 ]}

ニヒサワク・クリー族は、マイナス亜種の果実をヤマアラシの針の色付けに使用し、固く熟した果実を紐に通してネックレスとして身につける。^{[ 39 ]}西カナダのイヌイットは、マイナス亜種をタバコの添加物または代用品として使用する。 ^{[ 42 ]}

ニューファンドランド・ラブラドール州では、リンゴンベリーやリンゴンベリーエキスが手作り石鹸やキャンドルによく使われている。