Vaccinium retusum (Griff.) Hook. fil. ex C. B. Cl.

The above description of the flower follows that in the protologue and that by Clarke in Fl. Brit. India.

Shrubs dwarf, evergreen, often epiphytic, ca. 30 cm tall. Twigs diffuse, angled, densely pubescent when young, glabrescent. Leaves dense; petiole 2–3 mm, pubescent; leaf blade elliptic or obovate, 2–2.5 × 0.9–1.4 cm, leathery, adaxially puberulous on midvein, otherwise glabrous on both surfaces, secondary veins 2 or 3 pairs, ascending, slightly raised abaxially, inconspicuous adaxially, base cuneate, margin cartilaginous, revolute, entire, with 1 basal gland per side, apex rounded, retuse. Inflorescences pseudoterminal, racemose, 3–5 cm, ca. 12-flowered; rachis densely pubescent to glabrous; bracts ovate-orbicular, ca. 1.1 cm. Pedicel ca. 3 mm, glabrous. Hypanthium ca. 1.3 mm, glabrous; calyx lobes 0.8–1 mm, with marginal hairs. Corolla white, with 5 red stripes abaxially, urceolate, ca. 0.5 mm; lobes small. Stamens shorter than corolla, pilose; filaments ca. 0.5 mm; anthers ca. 3 mm, with 2 erect spurs; tubules ca. as long as thecae. Berry 10-pseudoloculed, black-purple, ca. 5 mm in diam. Fr. Jun.

E. Himalaya (Nepal to NEFA), Assam, N. Burma.

S Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim].

1400-3600 m

Epiphytic or on rocks; ca. 2500 m.