Ericaceae FAMILY

Gaultheria fragrantissima

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Gaultheria fragrantissima is an evergreen shrub, occasionally a small tree. It usually grows around 100 - 300cm tall, occasionally reaching 400cm. This species is highly variable, especially in the size and shape of leaves. In general these varieties are the result of habitat differences. If in forest understoreys or at forest margins, it is a large shrub or small tree with large leaves. If on sunny slopes or among thickets, it is often a small shrub with narrow leaves[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and as a source of essential oil. It is occasionally cultivated as a fruit crop[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - southwest China, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia

HabitatForests and shrubberies[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. ], usually on dry slopes[ 146 Title A Manual of Indian Timbers. Publication Author Gamble. J. S. Publisher Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Year 1972 ISBN - Description First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader. ]. Evergreen, Pinus, and mixed forests, forest margins, thickets on dry slopes, sunny slopes; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,200 metres[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].