Gaultheria wardii C. Marquand & Airy Shaw

The flowers of this species are at least sometimes imperfect.

Shrubs erect, 0.5–2(–3) m tall. Twigs terete, densely brown- or rust-colored hirsute. Leaves scattered; petiole 2–3 mm, densely hirsute; leaf blade oblong, ovate, or elliptic, 3–7 × 1.2–2.3 cm, leathery, abaxially densely puberulous, intermixed with long appressed setula, adaxially densely sericeous initially, later glabrescent and densely papillate, secondary veins (2 or)3(or 4) pairs with midvein raised abaxially, impressed adaxially, base obtuse to rounded, margin recurved, minutely denticulate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences axillary, racemose, solitary or 2 or 3 together, sometimes terminal panicles, 1–3.5 cm, many flowered, usually crowded; bracts rhombic-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, abaxially velutinous and sericeous or subglabrescent, glandular ciliate. Pedicel 3–6 mm, densely velutinous or setulose; bracteoles 2, linear-lanceolate, nearly at middle, velutinous or glabrescent. Calyx lobes ovate or narrowly triangular, 3–4 mm, abaxially densely sericeous or glabrous, margin ciliolate or glabrous. Corolla white, urceolate to tubular, 3–5 mm, abaxially glabrous; lobes minute. Filaments dilated towards base, 1–2 mm, glabrous; anthers ca. 1 mm, thecae 2-awned. Ovary puberulous. Calyx at fruiting succulent, blue-black; capsule 6–8 mm in diam., sericeous-tomentellose. Fl. Jun–Aug, fr. Aug–Mar.

SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [N India, Myanmar].

Forest margins, thickets on slopes; 1000–2700(–3100) m.