Fertile shoots are similar, but have 6 leaves that subtend the terminal inflorescence: one pair of larger leaves with a pair of smaller leaves borne in the axil of each larger leaf. Leaves: Sterile shoots have 2 terminal pairs of opposite leaves, separated by a very short internode, thus appear as a whorl of 4 leaves. Stems: Erect leafy shoots arise from the rhizomes the herbaceous stems are somewhat angular, slightly pubescent, and bear 2–3 pairs of opposite leaves near the top of the shoot and 1–2 pairs of smaller leaves or bracts farther down the stem. The red-orange to red ovoid or globose fruit (drupes) occur in rounded terminal clusters.Bunchberry flowers occur in a 'false flower', called a pseudanthium numerous small white flowers are arranged in a head-like (capitate) inflorescence subtended by 4 white petaloid bracts.Leaves opposite, elliptic or obovate, with 2 or 3 terminal pairs of leaves that appear as a whorl of 4 or 6 leaves below the inflorescence.Currently, Cornus is the accepted genus for non-woody and woody dogwood species.
The bunchberry species in our area that exhibit this trait have been included within the genus Chamaepericlymenum (Ascherson and Graebner 1899), but this transfer was based primarily on the herbaceous habit of the plants and the presence of 4 petal-like (petaloid) bracts subtending the inflorescence. It is also one of very few species with explosive pollination as their unique method of pollen dispersal (Jackson 2005). Bunchberry is known locally as crackerberry or crackers, due to the 'crack' or 'popping' sound heard when you squeeze the berries between your teeth. Bunchberry is a common understorey species of the boreal forest, often overlooked, perhaps because it is so common it also occurs frequently on barrens and bog hummocks. General: A low perennial herb, 0.5–2.3 dm tall, spreading by slender woody rhizomes lateral buds on the rhizomes give rise to erect vegetative and flowering shoots (Hall and Sibley 1976). Note: Numbers given in square brackets in the text refer to the images presented above image numbers are displayed to the lower left of each image.
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