Japanese name: アカモノ（赤物） Scientific name:Gaultheria adenothrix
[Overview]
An evergreen dwarf shrub 10–20 cm tall, found in sunny, dry places such as subalpine coniferous forests and the edges of Siberian dwarf pine thickets.
It has long, extending underground stems.
The stems branch often, and young branches have reddish brown hairs.
Leaves are simple and alternate, ovate, 1–3 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, with fine serrations on the margin.
The leaves turn reddish in winter.
A flower stalk 2–4 cm long extends from an upper leaf axil and bears a single flower.
The flower stalk has several small bracts and reddish brown hairs.
The flowers hang downward and are bell-shaped, white or slightly tinged with red.
The calyx is red.
The fruit is a capsule, but the calyx swells, turns bright red and encloses the fruit, forming an edible, spherical berry-like structure 6 mm in diameter.
[Notes]
The Japanese name is said to derive from Akamomo.
