Gaultheria wardii C.Marquand & Airy Shaw

Species

Angiosperms > Ericales > Ericaceae > Gaultheria

Characteristics

Shrubs erect, 0.5–2(–3) m tall. Twigs terete, densely brown-or rust-colored hirsute. Leaves scattered; petiole 2–3 mm, densely hirsute; leaf blade oblong, ovate, or elliptic, 3–7 × 1.2–2.3 cm, leathery, abaxially densely puberulous, intermixed with long appressed setula, adaxially densely sericeous initially, later glabrescent and densely papillate, secondary veins (2 or)3(or 4) pairs with midvein raised abaxially, impressed adaxially, base obtuse to rounded, margin recurved, minutely denticulate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences axillary, racemose, solitary or 2 or 3 together, sometimes terminal panicles, 1–3.5 cm, many flowered, usually crowded; bracts rhombic-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, abaxially velutinous and sericeous or subglabrescent, glandular ciliate. Pedicel 3–6 mm, densely velutinous or setulose; bracteoles 2, linear-lanceolate, nearly at middle, velutinous or glabrescent. Calyx lobes ovate or narrowly triangular, 3–4 mm, abaxially densely sericeous or glabrous, margin ciliolate or glabrous. Corolla white, urceolate to tubular, 3–5 mm, abaxially glabrous; lobes minute. Filaments dilated towards base, 1–2 mm, glabrous; anthers ca. 1 mm, thecae 2-awned. Ovary puberulous. Calyx at fruiting succulent, blue-black; capsule 6–8 mm in diam., sericeous-tomentellose. Fl. Jun–Aug, fr. Aug–Mar.
More
A shrub. It grows up to about 2-6 m tall. The leaves are scattered and oval and 3-7 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The flowering shoots are in the axils of leaves and produce many flowers. The fruit is a blue-black capsule 6-8 mm across.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.5 - 2.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. In southern China it grows between 1,000-2,700 m above sea level.
Light 4-6
Soil humidity 5-7
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 6-9

Usage

The fruit are eaten.
Uses food
Edible fruits
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 30 - 60
Germination temperacture (C°) 18 - 21
Germination luminosity light
Germination treatment stratification
Minimum temperature (C°) -23
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Gaultheria wardii world distribution map, present in China, India, and Myanmar

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:330736-1
WFO ID wfo-0000695465
COL ID 3FF49
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Gaultheria wardii Gaultheria trichoclada Gaultheria wardii var. wardii