ERICACEAE

HEATH FAMILY

Gary D. Wallace, except as specified

Perennial, shrub, tree
Stem: bark often peeling distinctively
Leaves simple, generally cauline, alternate, opposite, rarely whorled, evergreen or deciduous, often leathery, petioled or not; stipules 0
Inflorescence: raceme, panicle, cyme, or flowers solitary, generally bracted; pedicels often with 2 bractlets
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; sepals generally 4–5, generally free; petals generally 4–5, free or fused; stamens 8–10, free, filaments rarely appendaged, anthers awned or not, dehiscent by pores or slits; nectary generally at ovary base, 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
Seeds generally many, sometimes winged
Genera in family: ± 100 genera, 3000 species: generally worldwide except deserts; some cultivated, especially Arbutus, Arctostaphylos, Rhododendron, Vaccinium
Reference: [Wallace 1975 Wasmann J Biol 33:1–88; 1975 Bot Not 128:286–298]
Subfamilies Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Vaccinioideae sometimes treated as families. Nongreen plants obtain nutrition from green plants through fungal intermediates.

VACCINIUM

BLUEBERRY, HUCKLEBERRY, CRANBERRY

Shrub, tree, glabrous to hairy, rhizomed or not; burls generally 0
Stem trailing to erect
Leaves alternate
Inflorescence: raceme or flowers solitary, bracted; bud scales present; bractlets generally 2
Flower: sepals 4–5, 2/3 to fully fused (lobes then 0); petals generally 4–5, ± 2/3 fused, cylindric to urn- or cup-shaped, generally white; stamens 8 or 10, filaments generally glabrous, anthers elongate, dehiscent by pores on small tubes, awned or not; ovary inferior, chambers 4–5 (or appearing 10 by intrusion of ovary wall), placentas axile, stigma head-like
Fruit: berry
Seeds generally many
Species in genus: 400+ species: temp n hemisphere, tropical mtns, Africa
Etymology: (Latin: for V. myrtillus L.)
[Vander Kloet 1988 The genus Vaccinium in North America]

Native

V. parvifolium Sm.

RED HUCKLEBERRY

Shrub, glabrous to puberulent; rhizome 0
Stem erect 1–4 m, generally not rooting; twigs strongly angled, green
Leaves deciduous, rarely evergreen in young plants, 10–25 mm; blade elliptic to ovate, thin, entire to serrate or with only a deciduous, sharp point at tip, lower surface (especially midvein) puberulent, veins prominent
Inflorescence: flowers solitary in axils of lowest leaves of youngest shoots; bractlets 0; pedicels not jointed to flower
Flower: calyx lobes ± 0 or < tube, rounded, deciduous; corolla < 5 mm, greenish or pinkish; anthers awned
Fruit 6–10 mm diam, bright red
Chromosomes: 2n=24
Ecology: Moist, shaded woods
Elevation: 3–1400 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges, Outer North Coast Ranges, High Cascade Range, n&c High Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area
Distribution outside California: to se Alaska
Horticultural information: SHD, IRR: 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17; acidic soil.