Ericaceae
Fls perfect, regular, axillary, solitary or in racemes or panicles. Calyx 4-7-lobed, persistent; corolla 4-7-lobed, inserted below fleshy disk, funnelform to urceolate. Stamens twice as many as corolla-lobes (rarely the same number) inserted on disk. Anthers 2-celled, often tailed, dehiscing us. by terminal pores. Ovary superior, with single style and stigma; us. 5-loculed with axile placentae; ovules us. ∞. Fr. a capsule or berry; seed with straight embryo. Mostly shrubs or small trees, with alt. or whorled simple, coriac., exstipulate lvs. Widely distributed family with some 70 genera and 1900 spp.
Key
The N.Z. genera have been revised by Burtt and Hill (J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 49, 1935, 611-644) who give a detailed account of the prevalent hybridism.
