Compendium of Circumboreal Flora, High-Altitude Biotopes and Plant Identification Standards

• Alpine bearberry — The scientific name for the alpine bearberry, a deciduous dwarf shrub in the family Ericaceae, characteristic of arctic tundra and high-altitude alpine meadows. In a structural and biological sense, the Arctous alpinus species stands out for its prostrate branches forming dense ground carpets, serrated leaves turning intense purplish-red before dropping, small, greenish-white flowers, and spherical berries that become glossy-black at maturity, representing an essential trophic resource for migratory birds.