Pernettya Gaudich.
Fls axillary, solitary or in racemes; calyx 5-lobed, persistent us. remaining dry; corolla shortly 5-lobed; stamens 10, not exserted, filaments us. slightly dilated at base. Anthers 2-celled, each cell tipped by 2 erect awns. Ovary 5-lobed and -loculed; style cylindric, stigma simple. Fr. baccate, seeds us. many, minute. Shrubs, us. small, with alt. toothed lvs. Genus of some 30 spp., differing from Gaultheria mainly in the berried fr., mostly Central to S. America. The N.Z. spp. are endemic, but closely related to those of Tasmania.
Key
1.
Lvs obtuse, of elliptic order, not > 3-6 × 1-2 mm.; branches compactly arranged; anther-filaments c. 2.5 mm. long, ribbonlike, very slightly uniformly widening to base
Lvs acute, of linear order, 8-10 × 3-4 mm.; branches lax, trailing; filaments c. 2 mm. long, rather abruptly narrowed to base
