Pernettya

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.

  • Family

    Ericaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pernettya

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - A genus of about 19 species with a disjunct distribution which includes southern Mexico to Patagonia (15 spp), and Tasmania and New Zealand (4 spp). One species is endemic to Guayana. The center of distribution is in the Andes of South America.

  • Discussion

    Stevens (1971) considered Pernettya to be a part of Gaultheria, and indeed in the Tasmania-New Zealand region there seem to be no barriers to hybridization (Burtt and Hill, 1935). The only treatment of the genus as a whole is that of Sleumer (1935) in which he recognized 13 species. This treatment is entirely out of date however, and the genus is in great need of study.

  • Distribution

    A genus of about 19 species with a disjunct distribution which includes southern Mexico to Patagonia (15 spp), and Tasmania and New Zealand (4 spp). One species is endemic to Guayana. The center of distribution is in the Andes of South America.

    Guyana South America| Mexico North America| New Zealand