Vaccinium dunalianum Wight

An evergreen shrub up to 20 ft high in its wild state, or almost a tree; quite devoid of down in all its parts; young shoots lightly ribbed. Leaves oval or oval-lanceolate, with a long, slender, often tail-like end, and a broadly tapered base, not toothed, 3 to 5 in. long, 1 to 13⁄4 in. wide, dark green, of leathery texture; stalk 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in. long. Racemes axillary, 11⁄2 to 3 in. long; corolla waxy white, bell-shaped, 1⁄5 in. long, with five triangular teeth; fruits black, globose, 1⁄4 in. wide.

Native of the eastern Himalaya, and of the mountains of N.E. India, extending into W. China; introduced in the last century from India. Wilson found it on Mt Omei in 1904 and it had previously been collected there by Henry. It is one of the strongest growing of vacciniums and is worth growing as a handsome evergreen in the south-western counties. Near London it needs cool greenhouse treatment. The slender tail-like apex of the leaf, often 1 to 11⁄2 in. long, is distinctive.