Gaultheria insipida

Description

Gaultheria insipida, called chichaja in Spanish, is a flowering shrub of the plant genus Gaultheria. The species is native to the Andes; specimens have been found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. This semi-hardy shrub grows to a height of 1.8–2.4 m (5.9–7.9 ft). Its long, thin branches bear bright green leaves, which may grow up to 7.6 cm (3.0 in) long. In autumn, the leaves turn a burgundy colour, and the shrub's pink flowers mature into small, white berries topped with five red spots. Two varieties have been described: G. insipida insipida and G. insipida peruviana. James Francis Macbride found the latter in the Huánuco Region of central Peru, and published his description in 1959.