TAXONOMY 



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I. Order Ericales. Ericacea or Heath Family. Sub-herbaceous 

 (Chimaphila), suffruticose (Erica), fruticose (Azaleas, Kalmias, 

 etc.), rarely sub-arborescent (Arbutus unedo or Strawberry Tree) 

 plants. Roots fibrous often saprophytically associated, rarely 

 tuberous or more or less enlarged. Stem upright, ascending or creep- 

 ing, more or less woody, rarely through saprophytic connection be- 

 coming soft, annual and pale above ground (Monotropa uniflora) . 



FIG. 222, Arctostaphylos uva ursi^-Eranch, flower, and fruiting branch. (Sayre.) 



Leaves alternate, simple, entire, exstipulate, rarely soft, delicate, 

 herbaceous (Azaleas} , usually leathery to wiry and evergreen, more 

 rarely (Pterospora, Monotropa, etc.) becoming greenish-blue, bluish- 

 yellow, yellowish-white to white and correspondingly saprophytic. 

 Inflorescence typically a raceme (Pyrola, Andromeda, Gaylussacia, 

 Erica, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi, etc.) but raceme condensed into a 

 racemose umbel (Azalea, etc.) or further reduced to a few flowers or, 

 in the degraded saprophytic condition to one flower (Monotropa 



