Phil Bendle Collection:Gaultheria colensoi (Mountain snowberry)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Gaultheria
Species: G. colensoi
Scientific name: Gaultheria colensoi
Synonym: Gaultheria rupestris var. parvifolia
Common name: Mountain snowberry

Gaultheria colensoi is an endemic usually erect, sometimes almost sprawling shrub growing up to 1m in height. The uniform alternate leaves (8-12mm long by 5-9mm wide) are very thick. stiff and coriaceous (like leather) and have prominent veins on the lower surface. The flowers white, bell-shaped, in a cluster at the tip of twigs. The fruit is a dry capsule.
It is found in subalpine to low alpine shrub (900-1700 masl) around the mountains of central New Zealand, the Ruahine range and southwards. It is present on Mt Egmont/Taranaki.

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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0007/6364/Gaultheria_colensoi_.JPG
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