The Teaberry plant is native to the Falklands, a low growing dwarf creeping shrub, somewhat woody and found in deep and damp peat areas. Small white four petalled flowers appear from November to January ripening to fat pink and white berries by the end of March to April. These berries are a taste of the real Falklands and early mariners and campers used the leaves of this plant to make a form of tea, hence its name. They are slow and tedious to pick but tea-berries have a wonderful flavour and are still looked forward to by campers who use them as currants in cakes, to make jam or just eat them with cream. Common on East and West Falklands.

Found in damp dwarf shrub heath and acid white grassland. Widespread on West and East Falkland. It is also present in neighbouring South America, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia and Venezuela.

Sources include:Plants of the Falkland Islands - Ali Liddle 2007, Wild Flowers of the Falkland Islands- T H Davis & J H McAdam, The Vascular Flora of the Falkland Islands- D. M. Moore, B.Sc., Ph.D, 1968

Photographic credits: Robert Maddocks,

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