Key to Named Groups within Ericaceae
1. Plants with ± herbaceous habit and reduced embryo. . Monotropoideae,2
 2. Plants with chlorophyll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pyroleae
 2. Plants lacking chlorophyll, i.e., strongly mycotrophic. . . . . .3
  3. Stamen appendages present; multicellular hairs on leaves present; 
     embryo undeveloped with 30-40 cells. . . . . . . . . .Pterosporeae
  3. Stamen appendages absent; multicellular hairs on leaves usually   
     absent;  embryo extremely undeveloped, with less than 30 cells. .
     . . . Monotropeae                                                
1. Plants shrubs, trees, or lianas; embryo with differentiated         
   cotyledons. . . . . . .4                                            
 4. Pollen shed in monads; seeds with vascular bundle in raphe; anther 
    with a fibrous endothecium, opening by longitudinal slits. .       
    . . . Enkianthus (Enkianthoideae).                                 
 4. Pollen shed in tetrads; seeds lacking a vascular bundle in raphe;  
    anthers usually lacking a fibrous endothecium (except Bejaria),    
    opening by pores or slits . . . .5                                 
5. Flowers wind-pollinated, inconspicuous, imperfect, with perianth of 
   distinct tepals, the stigma flabellate to pinnatifid; leaves always 
   ericoid . .                                                         
   . . . .Ericoideae, Empetreae.                                       
5. Flowers usually ± showy and insect or bird pollinated, usually      
   perfect, with perianth of a calyx and usually sympetalous corolla,  
   the stigma truncate to ± capitate, rarely cup-shaped or 
   funnel-shaped ;leaves ericoid to broad and flat. .6              
 6. Anthers bisporangiate, monothecal; leaves usually ± parallel veined
     ;stamens equaling the number of corolla lobes. Styphelioideae. 7
  7. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
   8.Leaf bases broadly sheathing the stem. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
    9.Leaf scars annular. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richeeae
    9. Leaf scars absent - stems smooth. . . . . . . . . . . Cosmelieae
   8. Leaf bases not sheathing (but may be stem-clasping). . . .  . 10
     10. Leaf margins serrate/serrulate, anthers dehiscing by two slits.
     . . .Prionoteae                                                    
     10.Leaf margins entire, anthers dehiscing by a single slit. . .. 11
      11. Flowers pedicellate above the upper bracts. . . . . Archerieae
      11. Flowers not pedicellate above the upper bracts. . Epacrideae  
  7. Fruit a drupe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
   12. Ovary 2 locular, corolla glabrous inside. . . . . Oligarrheneae
   12. Ovary 1-10 locular, corolla hairy inside, or if glabrous then    
       ovary 1                                                          
       locular. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . Stypheliaeae
 6. Anthers tetrasporangiate, dithecal; leaves pinnate to palmately     
    veined;stamens usually twice the number of corolla lobes,           
    occasionally reduced and equaling the corolla lobes . . . . . . . 13
    13. Ovary inferior; anthers with tubules . Vaccinioideae, Vaccinieae
    13. Ovary superior; anthers usually lacking tubules. . . . .  . . 14
     14. Anthers inverting just before anthesis; fruit with an endocarp,
         indehiscent; 1 to a few ovules per locule. . . . . .Arbutoideae
     14. Anthers inverting early in development of the flower; fruit    
         lacking an endocarp, usually dehiscent; ± several to numerous  
         ovules per locule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
      15. Corolla persistent; leaves ericoid. . . Ericoideae, Ericeae,  
          p.p.                                                          
      15. Corolla deciduous; leaves ericoid to broad and flat . . . 16  
       16. Fruit a ± septicidal capsule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17  
        17. Stamens epipetalous 2/3 length of filament. . . Diplarche   
            (Rhodoreae)                                                 
        17. Stamens not adnate to corolla. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18   
         18. Endothecium present and fibrous; flowers more than 5-
             merous. . . . . . . . . . . . Bejarieae, (Bejaria)
         18. Endothecium lacking, or present and lacking a fibrous 
             layer; flowers 4 or 5-merous. . . . . . . . . . . .19
          19. Seeds papillose; pedicel lacking bracteoles; 
              filaments smooth. Daboecia (Ericoideae, Ericeae).
          19. Seeds not papillose; pedicel with 2 bracteoles; 
              filaments roughened or unicellular-pubescent. .20
           20. Leaves ericoid; viscin threads usually absent
               . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
            21. Petals distinct. Ericoideae, Bejarieae
            21. Petals connate. .Phyllodoce (Ericoideae, 
                Phyllodoceae)
           20. Leaves not ericoid, although sometimes with 
               revolute margins; often with viscin threads 
               . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
             22. Pedicel usually not articulated with 
                 flower; flowers usually zygomorphic and 
                 with spots or a blotch; bracts usually 
                 scarious; ovary ± ovoid to cylindric; 
                 perulae usually present. . . . Ericoideae, 
                 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhodoreae p.p.
             22. Pedicel articulated with pedicel; flowers 
                 usually actinomorphic, lacking spots or a 
                 blotch; bracts usually not scarious; ovary ± 
                 globose to subglobose; perulae lacking. . . 
                 . . . . . . . Ericoideae, Phyllodoceae p.p.
       16. Fruit usually a loculicidal capsule, occasionally a berry.23
         23. Leaves ericoid; bud scales lacking; anthers lacking 
             disintegration tissue; fibers lacking in petiole and leaf 
             midrib. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
          24. Pith Calluna-type; leaves decussate; pedicel with 2 
              bracteoles; multicellular, branched or fasciculate 
              hairs present . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cassiopoideae
          24. Pith homogeneous; leaves alternate; pedicel lacking 
              bracteoles; multicellular hairs lacking. . . . . . . 
              . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harrimanelloideae
         23. Leaves not ericoid, although they may have a revolute 
             margin; bud scales present; anthers usually with 
             disintegration tissue; fibers associated with vascular 
             tissue in petiole and leaf midrib. . . . . . . . . . .25
           25. Secondary phloem with bands of fibers; stamens 
               lacking appendages or with 2 spurs at anther-filament 
               junction or on upper portion of filament; leaf 
               epidermis ± lignified; filaments usually S-shaped. . 
               . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vaccinioideae,Lyonieae
           25. Secondary phloem lacking bands of fibers (except 
               Zenobia, which has 4 awns on anthers); stamens 
               lacking appendages or with 2 or 4 awns arising ± from 
               anther apex; leaf epidermis not lignified (except 
               Andromeda, which has 2 awns on anthers); filaments 
               straight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
            26. Leaves lacking multicellular hairs, except for ± 
                globose, non-glandular hairs associated with 
                serrations in Zenobia; stomata anomocytic. . . 
                . . . . . . . . . . Vaccinioideae, Andromedeae
            26. Leaves with scattered gland-headed, multi-
                cellular hairs; stomata usually paracytic. . 27
             27. Pedicel not articulated; inflorescence 
                 terminal; flowers borne on shoots of 
                 the current season; anthers not appendaged; 
                 fruits ± elongate-ovoid. . . . 
                 . . . . . . . . Vaccinioideae, Oxydendreae
             27. Pedicel articulated with flower; 
                 inflorescences usually axillary; flowers 
                 usually on shoots of the previous season; 
                 anthers often with 4 "apical" appendages (awns); fruits
                 ± globose to subglobose. . . . 
                 . . . . . . . . .Vaccinioideae, Gaultherieae
       
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