Gaultheria

Authority

Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family

Ericaceae

Scientific Name

Gaultheria

Synonyms

Brossaea, Brossea, Shallonium Raf., Glyciphylla, Phalerocarpus G.Don, Lasierpa Torr., Gaultheria procumbens L.

Description

Genus Description - Erect terrestrial or epiphytic shrub, prostrate undershrub, or rarely small tree; hermaphrodite, dioecious or gynodioecious; indumentum of simple, unicellular or multiseriate, multicellular eglandular or gland-tipped hairs; terminal bud usually aborting, axillary buds with numerous (2), imbricate scales. Leaves alternate, evergreen, usually coriaceous, usually serrate or crenate at margin, pinnately veined. Inflorescences axillary racemes, or of solitary flowers in axils of leaves and these sometimes congested at branch tips forming pseudoracemes; racemes bracteate at base, solitary flowers multibracteate at base; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx and subtended by a single, floral bract; bracteoles 2 to several, basal to apical. Flowers actinomorphic, perfect, 5-merous, calyx synsepalous usually becoming fleshy and accrescent (not fleshy); corolla sympetalous, urceolate to campanulate or sometimes cylindric-urceolate, white to pinkish or reddish when fresh; stamens 10, filaments distinct, papillose and broadened basally, glabrous or pubescent, straight, inserted at base of corolla, anthers dehiscing introrsely by two apical pores, with white disintegration tissue along connective on abaxial side and normally with 2, ascendent, terminal awns on each anther sac (awns inconspicuous or absent); style straight, columnar, stigma truncate, ovary superior (partly inferior), 5-locular, ovules 5-10 (or many). Fruit a 5-valved, loculicidal capsule surrounded by the usually white or dark blue-black, slightly to conspicuously fleshy, accrescent calyx, the accessory fruit thus appearing berry-like; seeds usually numerous, small, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, angled, wingless; testa of ± isodiametric to slightly elongated cells.

Distribution

A genus of approximately 115 species, largely ranged around the Pacific from Japan and China south through Malesia, southern Australia into Tasmania and New Zealand, and then north through South and Central America, Mexico, and North America; primarily temperate or montane in tropical regions.

Japan Asia| China Asia| Malaysia Asia| Asia| Australia Oceania| New Zealand South America| Central America| North America|