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Species:        Gaultheria trichophylla
Profile:

An elegant small plant, growing well in sandy peat and leaf-soil. The leaves are very small and numerously produced on the sub-prostrate branches and are hairy at the margin. The pink flowers are succeeded in autumn by peacock-blue berries. It belongs to the family Ericaceae, a family that consists of 125 genera and 3000-400 species. The genus Gaultheria has about 135 species and consists of evergreen shrubs.
Habitat and ecology:   A creeping shrub in alpine pastures, growing on rocks and banks at an elevation of 2,700-4,500 m. Occurs commonly in montane grasslands, mountain slopes and rocky places. It is distributed from Eastern Asia, along the Western Himalayas up to China.
Morphology:   A spreading shrub with small leaves and much branching. Elliptic with a wedge-shaped base and succulent fruits, sky-blue in colour. Flowers widely bell-shaped, 5-6 mm long and broad, red, pink or nearly white; calyx-lobes triangular, 2 mm. Leaves hairless above and below, with conspicuous bristles on margin. Dense leaves with very short petiole. Fruits edible.
Distinguishing features:   Dwarf, prostrate shrub with many branches and dense, leathery leaves; flowers are solitary, bell-shaped, red, pink or white; fruits are fleshy capsules.
Life cycle:   Flowering occurs in May-June and fruiting is July-September.
Uses:  Plant is the source of Indian wintergreen oil. Oil has stimulant and carminative properties. It is used in rheumatism, neuralgia and as an antiseptic. It is also used as a flavouring agent. Fruit can be eaten in both raw as well as cooked form.
 

 
Family: Ericaceae
Common/local name: Data not available
Trade name: Data not available
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