Ericaceae

Plant Sex: Flowers bisexual.

Flowers: Actinomorphic, often urceolate or campanulate. Stamens free or adnate to corolla only at base. Anthers (in one subfamily, Vaccinioideae) with long terminal appendages, with porose dehiscence. Many adaptations to insect (bee) pollination.

Inflorescence: Flowers solitary or in racemes.

Fruits: Capsules and berries.

Habit: Mainly shrubs, some trees.

Leaves: Alternate, simple, without stipules.

Examples:

Ornamentals
Rhododendron

R. 'PJM' (rhododendron). Flowering shoots. Flower. Flower L.S. Stamens. Flower (with ovary) X.S.
R. hirsutum. Shoots with young fruits.

Pieris

P. japonica (lily-of-the-valley bush). Flowering shoot. Flowers in L.S.

Food
Vaccinium

V. corymbosum (blueberry). Flowering shoot. Flower L.S. Stamens. Fruiting shoot. Fruit X.S. and L.S.

Wildflowers (some also ornamentals)
Kalmia

K. latifolia (mountain laurel). Shrub in flower. Flower face view. Flower side view. Stamens.

Erica (heaths). A large genus with over 850 species, most of which are in South Africa.

E. coccinea. Flowering shoot. Flower L.S.
E. vagans. Flowering shoots of a Spanish species.
E. bruniades. Flowering shoots with extremely tomentose flowers of this S. African species.
A few more spectacular S. African species: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Arctostaphylos

A. manzanita (manzanita). Habit of the plant. Flowering shoots. Fruiting shoot.
A. uva-ursi (bearberry). Plant in flower.
A. columbiana. Flowers. Flowers L.S.

Arbutus

A. menziesii (madrone). Habit of plant. Flowering shoot.
A. unedo. Shoot with flowers and fruit. Fruiting shoots.

Myco-heterotrophs (formerly Monotropaceae and Pyrolaceae)
Monotropa

M. uniflora (Indian pipes). Habit of plant in flower. Flower L.S.

Pyrola

P. elliptica (wintergreen, shinleaf). Plant in flower. Inflorescence.

See also:

The web page I constructed called "The Strange and Wonderful Myco-heterotrophs" that gives lots more information on plants in Ericales as well as all the other families that have adopted this life form.

The Ericaceae Homepage by Kathy Kron.

SIUC / College of Science / Elements of Plant Systematics
URL: http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/PLB304/Lecture20Corn/Ericaceae.html
Last updated: 22-Mar-08 / dln