Gaultheria. Wintergreen, Boxberry, Teaberry, Checkerberry. Gaultheria procumbens.
Preparation: Oil of Gaultheria
Gaultheria. Wintergreen. Boxberry. Teaberry. Checker-berry. Feuilles de Gaultherie couchee (de Palowmier), The du Canada, The de Terreneuve, Fr. Canadischer Thee, Bergthee, G.—Gaultheria procumbens L. (Fam. Ericaceae) is a small indigenous, shrubby, evergreen plant. The leaves, which were formerly official in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, are short-petiolate, obovate or oval, about 4 cm. in length and 2 cm. in breadth, acute, revolute, obscurely serrate at the edges, coriaceous, shining, bright green above, paler beneath, of unequal size, and supported irregularly on short red petioles.
The plant extends from Newfoundland to Georgia, growing in large beds in mountainous tracts, or in dry barrens and sandy plains, beneath the shade of shrubs and trees, particularly of other evergreens, as the Kalmiae and Rhododendra. In different parts of the country it is variously called checker-berry, tea-berry, aromatic wintergreen, and mountain-tea. The flowers appear from July to August, and the fruit ripens at corresponding periods. To the very peculiar aromatic odor and taste which belong to the whole plant the leaves add a marked astringency. The aromatic and medicinal properties of wintergreen reside exclusively in an official volatile oil.
