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PLANTS FURNISHING MEDICINAL LEAVES AND HERBS. 19 
WINTERGREEN. 
Gaultheria procumbens L. 
Other common names.—Gaultheria, spring wintergreen, creeping wintergreen, 
aromatic wintergreen, spicy wintergreen, checkerberry, teaberry, partridge berry, 
erouseberry, spiceberry, chickenberry, deerberry, groundberry, hillberry, ivyberry, 
boxberry,redberry tea, Ca- 
nadian tea, mountain tea, 
ivory plum, chinks, drunk- 
ards, red pollom, rapper 
danaies, wax cluster. 
Habitatand range.—This 
small native perennial fre- 
quents sandy soils in cool 
damp woods, occurring es- 
pecially under evergreen 
trees in Canada and the 
northeastern United 
States. 
Description.—Winter- 
green is anaromatic, ever- 
green plant withan under- 
ground or creeping stem 
producing erect branches 
not more than 6 inches in 
height, the lower part of 
which is smooth and 
naked, while near the ends 
are borne the crowded 
clusters of evergreen 
leaves. These are alter- 
nate, shining dark green 
above, lighter colored 
underneath, spicy, thick Fic. 11.—Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), flowering and fruit- 
and leathery, oval and Tg EONS 
narrowing toward the base, 1 to 14 inches in length, and of varying width. From 
about June to September the solitary, somewhat urn-shaped and five-toothed white 
and waxy flowers appear, borne on recurved stems in the axils of the leaves. (Fig. 
11.) These are followed by globular, somewhat flattened berries, which ripen in 
autumn and remain on the plant, sometimes until spring. They are bright red, five 
celled, mealy, and spicy. All parts of the plant, which belongs to the heath family 
(Ericaceze), are aromatic. 
Collection, prices, and uses.—The leaves of wintergreen, or gaultheria, were at one 
time official in the United States Pharmacopceia, but now only the oil of wintergreen, 
distilled from the leaves, is soregarded. The leaves should be collected in autumn. 
Sometimes the entire plant is pulled up and, after drying, the leaves readily shake 
off. The price paid to collectors ranges from about 3 to 4 cents a pound. 
Wintergreen has stimulant, antiseptic, and diuretic properties. Its chief use, 
however, seems to be as a flavoring agent. 
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