ABSTRACT
The two North American strawberry species highlighted are of quite limited importance at present, their significance dwarfed by the commercial strawberry. The French word for strawberry, fraise, commemorates the critical role played by the captain in making the Chilean strawberry available in France. The woodland strawberry is now raised to a minor extent in home gardens, mostly as the "alpine strawberry". Wild woodland strawberries are quite small, but often have a delightful taste, and to this day continue to be collected, and sometimes offered in elite restaurants at very expensive prices. The Virginia strawberry is most significant as a source of breeding material for the cultivated commercial strawberry, of which it is one of the two ancestors. Several cultivars have been selected, including the well-known heirloom variety 'Little Scarlet' and a white-fruited form, with fruits that are larger and pleasanter than those of the wild plants.
