Gaultheria shallon |
Ericaceae subfam. vaccinioideae |
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salal, shallal |
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Habit | Shrubs, creeping, not mat-forming, rhizomatous. | |
Stems | erect to partially erect, (greenish), 50–200+ cm, ± glandular-hairy, glabrescent. |
erect, arching, spreading, creeping, or procumbent. |
Leaves | blades oval to ovate or orbiculate to reniform, 4–8+ cm, base rounded or cordate, margins serrulate (teeth fimbriate apically), apex mucronate/apiculate or aristate, surfaces glabrous. |
deciduous or persistent, alternate, sometimes pseudoverticillate (Pieris); petiole usually present, sometimes absent (some species of Vaccinium); blade plane, abaxial groove absent. |
Inflorescences | axillary, drooping, secund racemes; peduncle deep pink to red, 7–15+ cm, densely glandular-hairy; bracts white to light pink, deltate, 4–6 mm, not exceeding sepals, glandular-hairy marginally. |
usually axillary, sometimes terminal, usually panicles or racemes, sometimes corymbs or fascicles, sometimes solitary flowers, (borne on leafy twigs, except Zenobia on leafless twigs); perulae absent; bracts much shorter than sepals (sometimes absent). |
Pedicels | white, 7–10 mm, densely glandular-hairy; bracteoles 1–5, pinkish white, parallel-veined, oblanceolate, 3–5 mm, densely glandular-hairy. |
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Flowers | sepals 5, distinct nearly to base, dark pink to red, narrowly deltate, 3.5–5 mm, glandular-hairy (hairs reddish); petals 5, connate nearly their entire lengths, white to light pink, 7–8 mm, densely glandular-hairy, corolla narrowly urceolate, lobes 1 mm; filaments widest proximally, glabrous, papillose; anthers with 2 apical, bifurcating awns, dehiscent by subterminal pores proximal to awns. |
pendulous; perianth and androecium hypogynous or epigynous (Gaylussacia, Vaccinium); sepals (4-)5[-8]; petals 4-5(-6), connate (rarely distinct or nearly so in some species of Vaccinium), corolla deciduous, campanulate, cylindric, or urceolate, lobes usually much shorter (sometimes longer) than tube; intrastaminal nectary disc absent or present; stamens 8-10[-16]; anthers dehiscent by terminal pores or short slits; ovary 5- or 10-locular; placentation axile; style straight. |
Fruits | black-purple, 6–8 mm wide. |
capsular, dehiscence loculicidal, or baccate or drupaceous, indehiscent. |
Seeds | 2-300, distinct, ovoid or obovoid to ellipsoid, lanceoloid, or conic, to angular or wedge- or crescent-shaped, usually not winged, sometimes slightly winged or tailed. |
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2n | = 22, 44. |
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Gaultheria shallon |
Ericaceae subfam. vaccinioideae |
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Phenology | Flowering May-early Jul; fruiting late Jul–Sep. | |
Habitat | Woods and transition zones, moist soils, rocky or sandy cliffs, coastal bluffs | |
Elevation | 0-1300 m (0-4300 ft) | |
Distribution |
AK; CA; OR; WA; BC [Introduced in nw Europe]
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Nearly worldwide; especially arctic; temperate; and alpine areas; also very diverse in neotropical cloud forests |
Discussion | Fruits of Gaultheria shallon are a food source for animals, and the evergreen leaves provide additional food throughout the winter. This species has been used as a vegetative cover in disturbed areas because it spreads aggressively. The fresh and dried or smoked fruits were an important food of native peoples throughout its range. The evergreen leaves are used commercially in floral arrangements. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Genera 46, species ca. 1600 (12 genera, 58 species in the flora) (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 514. | FNA vol. 8, p. 496. |
Parent taxa | Ericaceae > subfam. Vaccinioideae > Gaultheria | Ericaceae |
Sibling taxa | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Name authority | Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 283, plate 12. (1813) | Arnott: M. Napier, Encycl. Brit. ed. 7 5: 118. (1832) — (as Vaccinieae) |
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