Ericaceae FAMILY

Gaultheria leucocarpa

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The essential oil has GRAS (generally recognised as safe) status in America, when used in very small quantities[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. However, when it is taken in large amounts methyl salicylate (the main constituent of the oil) is toxic and causes problems similar to those caused by high doses of aspirin[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].

Botanical Description

Gaultheria leucocarpa is an erect evergreen shrub growing 50 - 200cm tall. The plant is harvested from the wild and used in local medicine. The var Gaultheria leucocarpa yunnanensis is widely used medicinally in southern China, where it is known as 'tou gu cao', being valued especially for its rich content of salicylic acid[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - southern China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

HabitatMontane forest and in open, exposed places among brushwood or shrubs at 500 - 3,300 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. , 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. It is fairly common on the margins of craters, steep slopes, on stony, volcanic or sometimes peaty and generally poor soils[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].