高山白珠 gao shan bai zhu

Gaultheria benguetensis Copeland; G. itoana Hayata.

Shrubs prostrate or erect, 10–15(–30) cm tall, much branched. Twigs ?terete, puberulous. Leaves scattered; petiole 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous; leaf blade elliptic-oblong, oblanceolate, or oblong, 8–11(–15) × 3–7 mm, thickly papery or subleathery, abaxially punctate, adaxially glabrous, secondary veins 2 or 3 pairs, fine veins inconspicuous on both surfaces or slightly raised abaxially, base cuneate, margin slightly recurved, sparsely serrate, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences pseudoterminal, racemose, ca. 2 cm, 3–10-flowered, densely puberulous and sparsely glandular pubescent; bracts broadly ovate, ca. 1 mm, glabrous. Pedicel 2–3(–9) mm; bracteoles 2, just above middle, lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm, glabrous. Calyx lobes ovate-triangular, ca. 2.5 mm, glabrous, apex acute. Corolla white, sometimes tinged red to pink, ovoid-tubular, 4–5 mm, abaxially glabrous; lobes minute. Filaments glabrous; anthers with thecae 1- or 2-recurved-awned. Ovary sericeous. Calyx at fruiting milky whitish, succulent; capsule ca. 6 mm in diam. Fl. May–Jun(–Nov), fr. Jul–Aug(–Nov). 2n = 22.

High mountain peaks, open places; 1600–3000(–3600) m. Taiwan [Indonesia, Philippines].