Ericaceæ

[Lat. erica, heath.] ( Bot. ) The Heath wort family, an order of plants, alliance Ericales. DIAG. Monopetalous flowers, free stamens all perfect, loose skinned or tight-skinned seeds, and 2-celled anthers opening by pores. They are shrubby or suffruticose plants, sometimes herbaceous. Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, mostly evergreen, entire_or toothed, without stipules. Inflorescence various. Calyx inferior or superior, 5-(seldom 4-6-) leaved, or cleft, rarely entire. Corolla regular or somewhat irregular, 4-5-(rarely 6-)cleft, with an imbricated æstivation. Stamens generally distinct and inserted with the corolla. Anthers as many, or twice as many, as the lobes of the corolla, 2-celled, generally opening by pores, often append aged. Embryo straight, lying in the axis or in the end of fleshy albumen. They are very abundant at the Cape of Good Hope, and are more or le generally diffused throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, Many of the E., particularly species of the genera Erica, Rhododendron, Kalmia, and Azalea, are largely cultivated on account of the beauty of their flowers. The three latter are principally American. The ord. includes 42 genera and 850 species, and are chiefly remarkable, medicinally, for their astringent properties. Some, however, are narcotic, and a few even poisonous. The fruits of many are edible. Fig . 959. ERICA TETRALIA.