👉 Gaultheria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are known for their showy, colorful flowers with delicate, heart-shaped petals, which can range from light to deep shades of pink or purple. The unique characteristic of Gaultheria is their ability to produce seeds through a process called meiosis, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plants.