Home›Flowering Plants›Taxonomy›EricaceaeTaxaEricaceaePlant FamiliesReference and ClassificationVerifiedEricaceae, commonly called the heath or heather family, is a family of flowering plants in the order Ericales comprising about 4,250 species across 124 genera, making it the fourteenth most species rich family of flowering plants. Its members typically thrive in acidic, infertile soils, are mostly evergreen with simple leaves lacking stipules, and bear hermaphrodite flowers with fused petals ranging from narrowly tubular to widely urn shaped, with anthers that open by pores rather than slits. The family includes economically important plants such as cranberry, blueberry, huckleberry, and rhododendron, including azaleas.FactsEricaceaeConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsTaxonomic RankWell-attestedFamily 2Member Count BandWell-attestedOver 1000 Species 3Era First AppearedWell-attestedCretaceous 4ClassificationLiving or ExtinctWell-attestedYes 1EricaceaeFilter Results3 entriesCommon GroupAllHeaths, Camellias And Primroses (Ericales) (3)Everyday GroupAllHeaths, Camellias And Primroses (Ericales) (3)HabitatAllBog (2)Boreal Forest (1)Where It LivesAllAlbania (1)Austria (1)Belarus (1)Belgium (1)Bulgaria (1)Denmark (1)Europe (1)Finland (1)France (1)Germany (1)Greece (1)Hungary (1)Iceland (1)Ireland (1)Italy (1)Japan (1)Kazakhstan (1)Manchuria (1)Mongolia (1)Netherlands (1)North America (2)Norway (2)Poland (1)Romania (1)Sweden (1)Switzerland (1)Ukraine (1)United States (1)Conservation StatusAllLeast Concern (2)Not Evaluated (1)DietAllPhotosynthetic Autotroph (3)System (Realm)AllTerrestrial (3)Living or ExtinctAllYes (3)Relationship to PeopleAllFarmed or Commercially Raised (1)Invasive or Introduced Species (1)Used in Traditional Medicine (1)Venomous or Dangerous to Humans (1)CITES AppendixAllNot Listed (3)NatureServe RankAllG5 Secure (3)EcosystemAllArctic Tundra (1)Heath (2)Moorland (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 3Calluna vulgarisEricaceaeKalmia microphyllaEricaceaeVaccinium vitis-idaeaEricaceaeConnectionsParent Taxon OfArbutus canariensis, Species Well-attested Source Arbutus canariensis (Wikipedia)Calluna vulgaris, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Calluna vulgarisKalmia microphylla, Species Well-attested Source Kalmia microphylla (Wikidata)tier 2Vaccinium macrocarpon, Species Well-attested Source GBIF: GBIF species matchVaccinium vitis-idaea, Species Well-attested Source Vaccinium vitis-idaea (Wikidata)tier 2Sources1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)tier 2Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ975872, descriptionView the Source2. Wikipedia: Ericaceaetier 2WikipediaIntroductionThe Ericaceae () are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions.In Group: Asterid Families, LeadThe Ericaceae () are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions.View the Source3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for EricaceaeCatalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCountQuote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount"speciesExtantCount": 4755View the Source4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for EricaceaePaleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)"taxon_name": "Ericaceae" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 100.5 ... "early_interval": "Cenomanian"View the SourceWikidata: EricaceaeWikidata Q975872, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the SourceVaccinium vitis-idaea (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Calluna vulgarisParent Taxon Of: Calluna vulgaris, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceKalmia microphylla (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Kalmia microphylla, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceGBIF: GBIF species matchGBIFParent Taxon Of: Vaccinium macrocarpon, Backbone match, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Vaccinium macrocarpon, Backbone match, family"family": "Ericaceae"View the SourceArbutus canariensis (Wikipedia)Parent Taxon Of: Arbutus canariensis, LeadQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Arbutus canariensis, Leadis a species of shrub or tree in the heath familyView the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.