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Electronic Flora of South Australia
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Electronic Flora of South Australia genus Fact Sheet

Family: Ericaceae
Erica

Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 352 (1753).

Derivation: Greek ereike, heath.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Heaths.

Description:
Evergreen shrubs or small trees; leaves in whorls of 3 or 4, linear or terete, entire or minutely denticulate, often with strongly revolute margins, sessile or petiolate.

Flowers in lateral racemes of few-flowered heads; bracteoles 2 or 3; sepals usually 4, free; corolla campanulate or urceolate, with usually 4 erect or spreading lobes, persistent in fruit; stamens usually 8; anthers with basal appendages or crested.

Fruit a loculicidal capsule.

Distribution:  Over 500 species in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:
1. Flowers in lateral racemes or apparently axillary; sepals less than half as long as the corolla tube
 
2. Hairs on younger parts with numerous short spreading branches; corolla white when fresh
E. arborea 1.
2. Hairs all smooth; corolla pinkish
E. lusitanica 3.
1. Flowers in few-flowered terminal heads; sepals about as long as the corolla tube
E. baccans 2.

Author: Not yet available


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