Corema album (L.) D. Don, the white crowberry – a new crop

Abstract

Corema album (Ericaceae), ‘Camarinhas’, or the ‘white crowberry’, is a white-berried perennial adapted to sandy soils in the Iberian Peninsula which has been consumed by humans for many centuries. It occurs naturally on sand dunes and cliffs of the Atlantic coast from Gibraltar to Finisterre, and in the Azores on volcanic lava and ash fields. It has the possibility to become a new niche berry crop, because its fruits have a distinct colour (white), and provide high nutritional value. It has the potential to spread throughout southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The round, white, berry-like drupes (0.3–0.5 g), have a strong skin, and usually have three large seeds with a thick endocarp. The fruits can be marketable after five days at room temperature, and some samples have been acceptable after five months at 4°C. Here, the taxonomy, biology, and potential production system are discussed and a potential marketing name, the Beachberry, introduced.