Page authors: Ben Legler, David Giblin
Gaultheria ovatifolia
western teaberry, slender wintergreen
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Montana.

Habitat: Forested areas from fairly dry Ponderosa pine to subalpine bogs.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Low, spreading shrub up to 4 cm. tall, the branches slender, 5-20 cm. long, covered with soft, brown hairs.

Leaves:

Leaves evergreen, leathery, shiny, alternate, broadly ovate, acute, 2-4 cm. long and 1.5-3 cm. broad, conspicuously serrulate.

Flowers:

Flowers single in the leaf axils on short, bracteate pedicels; calyx deeply 5-parted, about 2 mm. long, covered with reddish-brown, soft hairs; corolla united, 5-lobed, bell-shaped, 3.5-5 mm. long, white or pinkish; stamens 10, anthers opening by terminal pores, without awns.

Fruits:

Capsule berry-like, surrounded by the persistent, pulpy calyx, 6-8 mm. long, bright red.

Accepted Name:
Gaultheria ovatifolia A. Gray
Publication: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts. 19: 85. 1883.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Gaultheria ovatifolia in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Gaultheria ovatifolia checklist entry

OregonFlora: Gaultheria ovatifolia information

E-Flora BC: Gaultheria ovatifolia atlas page

CalPhotos: Gaultheria ovatifolia photos

29 photographs:
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