A large and interesting family, of very wide geographic distribution,
in temperate and cold regions; herbs, shrubs, or trees; the leaves
undivided, without stipules; the flowers mostly perfect; the calyx with
four or five divisions; the corolla usually regular, with four or five,
usually united, petals; the stamens inserted under the pistil, usually
as many, or twice as many, as the petals; the ovary usually superior,
with one style; the fruit a capsule, berry, or stone-fruit, usually
with many small seeds.
There are many kinds of Gaultheria, mostly of the Andes; ours are
evergreen shrubs, with alternate, aromatic leaves and nodding flowers;
the calyx five-cleft; the corolla more or less urn-shaped, with five
teeth; the stamens ten; the fruit a berry, composed of the fleshy calyx
surrounding the ovary and containing many seeds. The Wintergreen, or
Checkerberry, used for flavoring, belongs to this genus.
[Illustration: Bunch-berry--C. Canadensis.