DCHP-3

blackberry ((1))

DCHP-2 (Nov 2012)
n. — Newfoundland, Flora

the black crowberry, empetrum nigrum.

Type: 3. Semantic Change — In Newfoundland, blackberry refers to empetrum nigrum, more commonly known as the black crowberry (see Image 1). Outside of Newfoundland, the term refers to rubus fruticosus, which is composed of drupelets (see Image 2).
See COD-2, s.v. "blackberry" (3), which is marked "Cdn (Nfld)".

Quotations

1888
(a) The Crowberry or Empetrum genus which affords us our so-called "blackberry" or heathberry or earthberry, which is properly the common or black crowberry [E. nigrum].
1915
Empetrum Nigrum. -- Blackberry. On hills round St. John's. Small prostrate spreading shrub. Leaves with margins recurved to meet at the back. Flowers small, purplish, growing in the exils of the upper leaves. Berries edible, black.
1973
There is no comprehensive list of edible plants available for Newfoundland but several species of vascular plants which are listed by Rouleau (1956) for the Island were possibly important to the Beothuks during the late summer and early fall of the year. The more important species probably include:
Bake Apple, Rubus charnaemorus
Blackberry, Empetrum spp.
1986
The crowberry, Empetrum species (also called Blackberries in Newfoundland), are ecologically important plants in Newfoundland.
1997
He grew up on the island of Battle Harbour in the S.E. where he learned to make herbal teas from Blackberry or Crowberry (Empetrum) and Juniper (Juniper communis).

References

  • COD-2

Images

Image 1: A black crowberry, or <i>blackberry</i>. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: B. Gliwa

Image 1: A black crowberry, or blackberry. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: B. Gliwa

Image 2: A blackberry <i>rubus fructicosus</i>. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: Fir0002

Image 2: A blackberry rubus fructicosus. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: Fir0002