Description:

• Shrublets, shrubs or occasionally small trees
• Leaves mostly whorled, sometimes alternate or spirally arranged, rarely opposite, simple, mostly 'ericoid' (linear, trigonous, with revolute margins almost touching on underside, leaving only a narrow channel or sulcus), rarely broad; stipules 0
• Flowers bisexual, regular, axillary in various racemose florescence types; bract on main axis or partially to fully recaulescent; bracteoles 2(1 or 0), sometimes fully recaulescent
• Calyx 2-5-lobed or -partite, hypogynous, rarely perigynous
• Corolla (2-)4(5)-lobed or -subpartite, hypogynous, rarely perigynous, persistent or deciduous
• Stamens (3-)8(-10), free of fused, included to exserted; filaments, when free, linear to broadening towards base, pilose; anthers 2-thecous, 2-lobed to -partite, often with dorsal appendages; dehiscing by terminal or lateral, small to very long pores; pollen shed mostly as tetrads, occasionally as monads
• Ovary superior, rarely half-inferior, (1-)4(-8)-locular with 1-many, axile, pendulous, rarely erect, ovules per locule; with or without basal nectaries; style terete, rarely almost absent; stigma simple to broadly funnel-shaped, entire to markedly lobed
• Fruit mostly a loculicidal capsule, sometimes an indehiscent capsule, drupe, achene or berry
• Seeds mostly ellipsoid or variously angled; testa thick or almost nonexistent; embryo embedded in copious endosperm

Classification Notes:

• The 24 minor genera formerly recognised in the subfamily Ericoideae in southern Africa (Bolus et al. 1905/6; Oliver 1975; Oliver & Van Wyk 1993), are postulated to belong to the single monophyletic genus Erica. Some have been reduced to synonymy under Erica [Oliver: 1 (1988); Oliver: 771 (1993); Oliver: 121 (1994)] and the remainder are to be published soon (Oliver, in prep.). The following minor genera will be placed in synonymy of Erica: Acrostemon Klotzsch, Anomalanthus Klotzsch, Arachnocalyx Compton, Coccosperma Klotzsch, Coilostigma Klotzsch, Eremia D.Don, Eremiella Compton, Grisebachia Klotzsch, Nagelocarpus Bullock, Platycalyx N.E.Br., Salaxis Salisb., Scyphogyne Brongn., Simocheilus Klotzsch, Stokoeanthus E.G.H.Oliv., Sympieza Licht. ex Roem. & Schult., Syndesmanthus Klotzsch, Thamnus Klotzsch and Thoracosperma Klotzsch

Nomenclature:

• Ericaceae
  • Bolus et al.: 2 (1905/6)
  • Stevens: 1 (1971)
  • Oliver: 158 (1991)
  • Stevens: 1 (1995)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera ± 140, species ± 4500, cosmopolitan, mostly in temperate and tropical regions
• Southern Africa: Genera 2, species 771

References:

• BOLUS, H., GUTHRIE, F., & BROWN, N.E. 1905/6. Ericaceae. Flora capensis 4
• OLIVER, E.G.H. 1975. Ericaceae. In R.A. Dyer, Genera of southern African flowering plants, Vol. 1. Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria
• OLIVER, E.G.H. 1988. Studies in the Ericoideae (Ericaceae). VI. The generic relationship between Erica and Philippia in southern Africa. Bothalia 18
• OLIVER, E.G.H. 1991. The Ericoideae (Ericaceae) - a review. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 13
• OLIVER, E.G.H. 1993. Studies in the Ericoideae (Ericaceae). XI. The generic relationship between Erica and Blaeria. Kew Bulletin 48
• OLIVER, E.G.H. 1994. Studies in the Ericoideae (Ericaceae). XV. The generic relationship between Erica and Ericinella. Bothalia 24
• OLIVER, E.G.H. & VAN WYK, C.M. 1993. Ericaceae. In T.H.Arnold & B.C. de Wet, Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 62
• STEVENS, P.F. 1971. A classification of the Ericaceae: subfamilies and tribes. Journal of the Linnean Society (Botany) 64
• STEVENS, P.F. 1995. Introduction to Ericaceae Part II. Flora neotropica, Monograph 66

Resources:

• Key to Ericaceae genera

• Ericaceae genera: