**Description and Taxonomy:**
– Fragaria vesca has 5-11 soft, hairy white flowers on 3-15 cm stalks.
– It has trifoliate light-green leaves with toothed margins and spreads via runners and viable seeds.
– There are distinctions between wild and alpine strawberries, with most seed companies selling Fragaria vesca as alpine strawberry.
– Wood strawberry has a unique perfume and flavor, while alpine strawberry produces flowers and fruit continuously.
– Different varieties of Fragaria vesca have varying sizes and shapes of fruit and seeds.
**Subspecies and Ecology:**
– Plants of the World Online accepts 2 subspecies in addition to the autonym: Fragaria vesca ssp. americana and Fragaria vesca ssp. bracteata.
– Fragaria vesca is found in habitats along trails, roadsides, meadows, woodlands, and clearings, tolerating various moisture levels except very wet or dry conditions.
– It can survive mild fires and establish new populations after fires.
– The leaves are a food source for ungulates, and the fruit is consumed by mammals and birds.
– Fragaria vesca serves as a larval host to the two-banded checkered skipper.
**Genomics and History:**
– The NCBI genome ID for Fragaria vesca is 3314, with a diploid ploidy and 14 chromosomes.
– The wild strawberry is used as an indicator plant for diseases affecting the garden strawberry.
– The genome of Fragaria vesca was sequenced in 2010 and 2017 for greater detail.
– Fragaria vesca has been consumed by humans since the Stone Age and is cultivated for various purposes, including domestic use, commercial products, and export.
– Cultivated varieties have longer flowering periods and larger fruit, with hybrids created between woodland strawberry and garden strawberry.
**Cultivation and Uses:**
– Cultivated varieties of Fragaria vesca may be used as groundcover, border plants, or for ornamental purposes.
– Fragaria vesca is associated with species like F. daltoniana, F. iinumae, F. nilgerrensis, F. nipponica, F. nubicola, and F. pentaphylla.
– George M. Darrow is linked to Fragaria vesca.
– It is commonly known as wild strawberry and serves as a food source for certain insects.
**Resources and Research:**
– Fragaria vesca is a significant plant in the ecosystem and has a notable presence in nature.
– Wikimedia Commons and Wikispecies have related media and information on Fragaria vesca.
– Various databases and research articles focus on Fragaria vesca, including its genomics, cultivation, and ecological importance.
– Fragaria vesca is listed in Plants for a Future and NatureServe, indicating its cultivation and ecological significance.