TAXONOMY 
379 
I. Order Ericales.— Ericaceae 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). 
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 Ur si, 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 
