Gaultheria brachybotrys A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 595. 1839. Brossea brachybotrys (A. P. de Candolle) O. Kuntze, Rev. gen. pl. 2: 388. 1891. Type. Peru. Amazonas: Chachapoyas, Mathews s.n. (holotype, frag. G-DC). Numerous Mathews collections may be seen in various herbaria, but none have been annotated as isotypes because of the uncertainty of their origin.
Gaultheria pichinchensis Bentham, Pl. hartweg. 225. 1846. Brossea pichinchensis (Bentham) O. Kuntze, Rev. gen. pl. 2: 388. 1891. Type. Ecuador. Pichincha: "In declivitate montis Pichincha, altit. 11,000 ped," Hartweg 1228 [holotype, K; isotypes, BR, CGE, E, frag. F, FI-Webb, G, L, LD, NY, OXF, P, W (photo F neg. 59484)].
Gaultheria petraea Weddell, Chlor. andin. 2: 174. 1860. Type. Ecuador, "Andes de Quito, montes Pichincha, alt. 11,000 pedes," Sep-Oct 1856 (fl), Jameson 196 [holotype, P (photo F neg. 28927); isotypes, E, FI-Webb, G].
[Gaultheria brachybotrys A. P. de Candolle var. beta Weddell, Chlor. andin. 2:173. 1860. Gaultheria epigeoides Dombey ex Weddell, Chlor. andin. 2: 173. 1860. nom. nud., manuscript name published in synonomy.]
[Gaultheria brachybotrys var. Griseb. [sic!] Weddell, Chlor. andin. 2: 173. 1860. nom. nud., in sched. Pl. peruv. exsicc. Lechler, published in synonomy. Type. Peru. Puno: Carabaya, Ayapata, Lechler 1855 (holotype, P; isotype, G).]
Prostrate, decumbent and spreading, rhizomatous
subshrub to erect shrub 0.3-1(-1.5) m tall; mature stems and twigs
terete, striate, short-pilose with white hairs and often extremely densely
hirsute to appressed subsetose with golden to ferruginous, eglandular hairs
2-4 mm long; bark reddish-brown; buds terete, ovate, scales
ovate, obtuse, striate, ciliolate, reddish-brown. Leaves coriaceous,
ovate, narrowly to broadly ovate, elliptic-ovate to oblong, rarely suborbicular,
(1-)2-5.5(-6.5) x (-0.8)1.5-3(-4.3) cm, base rounded to less frequently
subcordate, apex acute to short-acuminate or rounded, bluntly apiculate,
margin inconspicuously crenate with each tooth terminating in a deciduous,
basally swollen hair to 2 mm long, young leaves usually densely strigose
to hirsute with golden to ferruginous, basally swollen, eglandular hairs
which obscure surfaces, but when mature the upper surface is appressed
subsetose and glabrate, and also sometimes short-pilose at base and along
midvein with white hairs, lower surface densely and usually persistently
hirsute to subsetose (glabrate); midrib usually impressed and conspicuous
above and raised beneath, lateral nerves (3-4 per side) plane to impressed
above but usually obscure, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly
impressed but usually obscure above, raised beneath; petiole subterete
to canaliculate above, 2.5-4(-5.5) mm long, puberulent and strigose to
hirsute. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, congested at anthesis,
the 7-15 flowers usually overlapping broadly, often partially hidden beneath
leaves, usually about as long as or slightly shorter (or longer) than the
leaves; rachis subterete, bluntly angled, (1.2-)2-3(-3.5) cm long
at anthesis, somewhat elongating after anthesis, densely short-pilose with
white hairs and also often weakly to very densely hirsute (so as to obscure
surface) with straight to distally crisped, golden to ferruginous, eglandular
to minutely gland-tipped hairs to ca. 2 mm long, at base circumscribed
by a series of ovate, obtuse, striate, ciliolate bracts 1-6 mm long;
pedicels subterete, (3.5-)4-8 mm long at anthesis, pubescent as rachis
or sometimes only pilose; bracteoles nearly basal, chartaceous, narrowly
ovate to linear-ovate, (2.5-)3-4 x 0.8-1(-1.2) mm, acuminate, ciliolate
and rarely marginally weakly subsetose; floral bract subcoriaceous,
concave to cochleariform, striate, ovate to obovate, 5-8(-10) x 3-4 mm,
acute to obtuse, ciliolate (weakly subsetose or pilose dorsally),
often subclasping the fruits. Flowers with calyx 3.5-4.5(-5) mm long,
glabrous, lobes ovate-triangular, (2-)2.7-3(-3.4) x (1.7-)2-2.2 mm, acute
to acuminate, ciliolate; corolla urceolate, subterete, bluntly 5-angled,
(4-)4.2-6(-7) x 3-4(-5) mm, glabrous, short-pilose at base with white hairs,
or distally golden- to rufous-strigose only along angles opposite lobes
(both weakly pilose at base and strigose at apex), never densely strigose
all over, white, pink, or rose-red when fresh, lobes triangular, ca. 1
mm long, obtuse; stamens 3-4 mm long; filaments 2.6-3.3 mm
long, glabrous; anthers 1-1.2 mm long, awns conspicuous; dehiscence
by relatively long slits; ovary globose, basically glabrous or sometimes
very weakly short-pilose distally; style 3-4 mm long, glabrous.
Fruiting calyx 6-9 mm diam., blue-black. Chromosome number:
2n=22 (Callan, 1941; Middleton & Wilcock, 1990b); n=11,
2n=22 (Luteyn et al. 8006,
8790, and 11109).
Distribution (Map). Widespread from western Venezuela south through the Andes to northern Bolivia. Found in various habitats including rocky hillsides, road embankments, cliffs and joints in rocks, wet ditches, rocky outcrops, páramo, and puna grasslands at elevations of (2300-)2600-3800(-4150) m. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year.
Common names and uses. Colombia: pata de gallo (Nariño). Venezuela: cachuito (Mérida); borrachera (Trujillo). Ecuador: rapadara que mada (Cañar); pasa (Pichincha). Peru: Ruun'ccoto (Apurimac); pampa macho macha (Quechua) (Cuzco); mullaca negra (La Libertad); mullaca (San Martín). The fruits are said to be edible (Boeke 5042, Dillon 2787) and "very sweet" (Holm-Nielsen et al. 28999). Fruits are eaten by birds and also used as a "remedy for rage...fruit made into juice in a small glass and taken before eating in the morning" (Franquemont 220).
Cultivated: E, K