Shrub to 1 m (3 ft) tall, often found in large clonal colonies. Twigs slender, green to reddish-brown and pubescent, becoming brown or gray and glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, elliptic to spatulate, apex acute to acuminate, base gradually narrowed or cuneate, margin sharply serrate, 3.2-5 cm (1.2-2 in) lomg and 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) wide, dull dark green above, lighter and more or less pubescent below, very short-petioled or sessile. Flowers clustered; corolla cylindric-urceolate, pinkish, 4-6 mm (1/6-1/4 in) long. Fruits black, berry-like, 6-8 mm (1/4-2/5 in) in diameter, many-seeded, poorly flavored.
Distribution: Eastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma to Georgia and Florida.
Habitat: Upland oak-hickory and oak-pine forests.
Comments: Vaccinium is the classical name for blueberries; virgatum refers to the slender twigs.
NWI status: none
Distribution in Oklahoma: 
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Last update: 9/22/99
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