The Jepson Herbarium
		University of California, Berkeley

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Perennial, shrub, tree.
Stem: bark often peeling distinctively.
Leaf: simple or 0, generally cauline, alternate, opposite ( whorled), evergreen or deciduous, often leathery, petioled or not; stipules 0.
Inflorescence: raceme, panicle, cyme, or flowers 1, terminal or axillary, generally bracted; pedicel often with 2 bractlets.
Flower: generally bisexual, generally radial, bell-shaped, cylindric, or urn-shaped; sepals generally (0)4–5, generally free; petals generally (0)4–5, free or fused; stamens 8–10, free, filaments rarely appendaged, anthers awned or not, dehiscing by pores or slits; nectary generally present at ovary base, generally disk-like; ovary superior or inferior, chambers generally 1–5, placentas axile or parietal, ovules 1–many per chamber, style 1, stigma head- to funnel-like or lobed.
Fruit: capsule, drupe, berry.
Seed: generally many, winged or not.
± 100 genera, 3000 species: generally worldwide except deserts; some cultivated, especially Arbutus, Arctostaphylos, Rhododendron, Vaccinium. [Kron et al. 2002 Bot Rev 68:335–423] Monophyletic only if Empetraceae included, as treated here. Ledum included in Rhododendron. Non-green plants obtain nutrition from green plants through fungal intermediates. —Scientific Editors: Gary D. Wallace, Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Ericaceae

1. Plant non-green; leaves 0 or scale-like

2. Ovary chamber 1 or appearing > 1 by intrusion of parietal placentas; fruit a berry; fruit axis fleshy, not long-persisting

3. Petals fused; anthers elongate, dehiscing by separate slits ..... HEMITOMES

3' Petals free; anthers elongate or not, dehiscing by separate or fused slits

4. Corolla densely hairy inside, ± glabrous outside; anthers not elongate; stigma < 5 mm wide, ± funnel-shaped, subtended by ring of hairs ..... PITYOPUS

4' Corolla glabrous; anthers elongate; stigma 1.5–2.5 mm wide, crown-like, not subtended by hairs ..... PLEURICOSPORA

2' Ovary chambers 4–5; fruit a capsule; fruit axis fibrous, generally persisting long after seed dispersal

5. Petals free; fruit dehiscing tip to base; seed fusiform

6. Infl emerging from ground erect, with red or maroon stripes; pedicel not recurved when anthers open; sepals 0(2–4), petals 5; stamens exserted ..... ALLOTROPA

6' Infl emerging from ground nodding, without red or maroon stripes; pedicel recurved to spreading when anthers open; sepals, petals generally 5; stamens included ..... MONOTROPA

5' Petals fused; fruit dehiscing base to tip or indehiscent; seed ovate, winged or not

7. Plant ± pink, in age brown; inflorescence 1.5–17 dm, axis < 1.5 cm wide just below lowest flower; corolla 6–9 mm, cream to ± yellow; anthers awned; fruit dehiscing; seed winged ..... PTEROSPORA

7' Plant ± red; inflorescence generally 1.5–3 dm, axis generally > 1 cm wide just below lowest flower; corolla 12–18 mm, red; anthers unawned; fruit indehiscent; seed unwinged ..... SARCODES

1' Plant green; leaves leaf-like (except some Pyrola)

8. Plant not or ± woody; leaves basal or cauline but on short stems, alternate to whorled; petals free

9. Fls 1 or to 10 in ± head- or umbel-like raceme; fruit dehiscing tip to base

10. Fls in raceme; style in depression, stout; stigma not crown-like; nectary present; leaves cauline, leathery, elliptic to oblanceolate ..... CHIMAPHILA

10' Fls 1; style not or in slight depression, slender; stigma crown-like; nectary 0; leaves ± basal, not leathery, ovate to obovate ..... MONESES

9' Fls few–many in elongate raceme; fruit dehiscing base to tip

11. Infl 1-sided, arched, in fruit ± erect; petal tubercles 2, basal, adaxial; nectary present ..... ORTHILIA

11' Infl not 1-sided, ± erect; petal tubercles 0; nectary 0 ..... PYROLA

8' Plant woody; leaves cauline, alternate (opposite, whorled); petals 0, free and reduced, or generally fused, or calyx, corolla ± indistinguishable, perianth parts 3–6, ± free

12. Fls reduced, wind-pollinated, unisexual ..... EMPETRUM

12' Fls not reduced, not wind-pollinated, bisexual

13. Ovary inferior; fruit a berry ..... VACCINIUM

13' Ovary 1/2-inferior or generally superior; fruit a berry, drupe, or capsule

14. Fr generally ± enclosed by fleshy calyx; leaves evergreen ..... GAULTHERIA

14' Fr not enclosed by calyx; leaves evergreen or deciduous

15. Corolla generally persistent in fruit; leaf needle-like, generally < 1 mm wide ..... ERICA

15' Corolla not persistent in fruit; leaf linear or wider, generally not needle-like, generally > 1 mm wide

16. Fr a drupe or berry; plants generally of low elevations, dry habitats (except Arbutus, some Arctostaphylos)

17. Lvs opposite or whorled, ± linear; fruit a drupe, stones fused, each generally 2-seeded ..... ORNITHOSTAPHYLOS

17' Lvs alternate (except some Xylococcus), wider than linear; fruit a berry or drupe, stones free or fused, each 1–few-seeded

18. Ovary, fruit smooth, not papillate; fruit not juicy; inflorescence generally dense

19. Lf margin generally flat; filament swollen at base; fruit flesh generally mealy, occasionally 0, stones free to all fused ..... ARCTOSTAPHYLOS

19' Lf margin rolled under; filament not swollen at base; fruit flesh dry, stones fused ..... XYLOCOCCUS

18' Ovary, fruit papillate; fruit ± juicy; inflorescence generally open

20. Fr a berry; seeds few per chamber ..... ARBUTUS

20' Fr a drupe; seeds 1 per stone ..... COMAROSTAPHYLIS

16' Fr a capsule; plants generally of high elevations or moist habitats (some Rhododendron, Menziesia from low elevations, moist habitats)

21. Anthers awned or not; fruit loculicidal

22. Lvs boat-shaped, opposite, 2–5 mm, appressed; flowers 1 in upper leaf axils; anthers awns elongate ..... CASSIOPE

22' Lvs not boat-shaped, alternate, 15–80 mm, spreading; flowers in racemes; anthers awns 0 or vestigial ..... LEUCOTHOE

21' Anthers unawned; fruit septicidal

23. Fr dehiscing base to tip; petals fused at base or generally free ..... RHODODENDRON (2)

23' Fr dehiscing tip to base; petals ± fused

24. Corolla generally rotate to cup-shaped, with pockets holding anthers until dehiscence ..... KALMIA

24' Corolla generally not cup-shaped to rotate, without pockets

25. Lf < 5 mm wide, margin strongly rolled under, abaxial surface < 1/3 visible; bud scales 0 ..... PHYLLODOCE

25' Lf > 5 mm wide, margin not strongly rolled under, abaxial surface > 1/3 visible (except sometimes in bud); buds scales deciduous or ± persistent

26. Corolla urn-shaped to ± spheric, 6–7(13) mm; leaves deciduous ..... MENZIESIA

26' Corolla widely bell- to funnel-shaped, 10–50 mm; leaves deciduous or evergreen ..... RHODODENDRON (2)

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].
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