296 



SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Series 2. Su PEEVE. 

 Ovary usually superior (inferior in Vacciniece). 



EKICACEJE. THE HEATH OEDEE. 



Coh. Ericales, Benth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Shrubs or sometimes herbs, with regular or nearly 

 regular flowers ; corolla gamo- or poly- 



petalous, hypogynous or epigynous ( Vac- Fig. 404. Fig. 405. 



ciniece) stamens as many or twice as 

 many as the petals of the 4-5-lobed or 

 4-5-petalous corolla, free from the corolla, 

 hypogynous or epigynous ; anthers 2- 

 celled, commonly with appendages, and 

 opening bv terminal chinks or pores 

 (tigs. 404, "405) ; style 1 ; ovary 3-10- 

 celled ; seeds small, anatropous ; embryo 

 small or minute, in fleshy perisperm. 



Fig. 403. 



Fig. 403. Flower of Erica. 

 Fig. 404. Stamen of Erica. 

 Fig. 405. Stamen of Vaccinium. 



The Ericaceae are divisible into four 

 very distinct Suborders, which are some- 

 times ranked as Orders : 



1. VACCINIECE. Shrubby, or more or less woody herbs, with an 

 adherent calyx, sympetalous epigynous corolla, epigynous stamens, 

 2-parted anthers opening by pores, containing 4-nate pollen-grains ; 

 the inferior ovary becoming a berry surmounted by the teeth of the 

 calyx. 2. EEICINE^E. Shrubs or small trees, with a free calyx ; 

 a sympetalous or polypetalous corolla springing with the stamens 

 from the receptacle ; anthers opening by pores. 3. PYEOLE^E. 

 Woody herbs with evergreen foliage ; calyx free ; corolla of 5 

 distinct hypogynous petals ; stamens hypogynous ; anthers porous ; 

 seeds with a loose cellular testa and minute nucleus. 4. MONO- 

 TEOPE^E. Fleshy herbs with scale-like leaves, destitute of green 

 colour ; calyx free ; corolla syrn- or dialypetalous ; stamens hypo- 

 gynous ; pollen simple. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GENERA. 

 Suborder I. VACCINIECE. Oxycoccus, Tournef. } Vaccinium, L. 



Suborder II. ERICINE^E. 



Tribe 1. ARBUTEJE. Corolla deciduous. Fruit succulent. Evergreen shrubs. 

 Arbutus, Tourn. 



Tribe 2. ANDROMEDE^. Corolla deciduous. Capsule loculicidal. Shrubs 

 with persistent leaves. Buds usually scaly. Andromeda, L. 



Tribe 3. ERICE^:. Corolla persistent, often 4-merous. Fruit not cap- 

 sular. Buds not scaly. Erica, L. 



