OregonFlora: Vaccinium tenellum vs. Ericaceae

	Vaccinium tenellum	Ericaceae
		heath family
Habit		Herbs, shrubs, or trees perennial, deciduous or evergreen, photosynthetic or non-photosynthetic.
Stems		erect to decumbent or prostrate, glabrous or hairy.
Leaves		normal, reduced, or absent; basal rosettes or cauline, usually alternate but sometimes opposite or whorled; simple; leathery or not; margins entire or toothed; plane or revolute; petioles present or absent; stipules absent.
Inflorescences		terminal or axillary racemes; panicles; cymes or flowers solitary, generally bracted.
Flowers		bisexual, radially or bilaterally symmetric; sepals 3–5; distinct or fused basally; petals 3–5; distinct or fused; stamens 5–10; anthers awned or not, dehiscent by pores or slits; styles 1; stigmas 1, generally 5-lobed.
Fruits		capsules; berries, or drupes.
Seeds		winged or not.

	Vaccinium tenellum	Ericaceae
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	[BONAP county map]
Discussion		Nearly worldwide. ~120 genera; 26 genera treated in Flora. Some authorities treat the subfamilies of Ericaceae as distinct families. Within Oregon, these would include Monotropaceae, Pyrolaceae, and Vacciniaceae. Conservatively, we have chosen not to recognize these families. Non-photosynthetic ericaceous species are often referred to as saprophytes, plants that use decaying or non-living organic matter for nourishment. In reality, these species are true parasites, obtaining all of their nutrition from mycorrhizal fungi, which in turn parasitize photosynthetic plants, usually conifers. They are more appropriately referred to as epiparasites or mycotrophs.
Source		Flora of Oregon, volume 1
Sibling taxa	V. caespitosum, V. corymbosum, V. deliciosum, V. macrocarpon, V. membranaceum, V. myrtillus, V. ovalifolium, V. ovatum, V. oxycoccos, V. parvifolium, V. scoparium, V. uliginosum
Web links	Local Web sites: Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Vaccinium tenellum

Ericaceae

heath family

Habit

Herbs, shrubs, or trees perennial, deciduous or evergreen, photosynthetic or non-photosynthetic.

Stems

erect to decumbent or prostrate, glabrous or hairy.

Leaves

normal, reduced, or absent;

basal rosettes or cauline, usually alternate but sometimes opposite or whorled; simple; leathery or not;

margins entire or toothed; plane or revolute;

petioles present or absent;

stipules absent.

Inflorescences

terminal or axillary racemes; panicles;

cymes or flowers solitary, generally bracted.

Flowers

bisexual, radially or bilaterally symmetric;

sepals 3–5; distinct or fused basally;

petals 3–5; distinct or fused;

stamens 5–10;

anthers awned or not, dehiscent by pores or slits;

styles 1;

stigmas 1, generally 5-lobed.

Fruits

capsules; berries, or drupes.

Seeds

winged or not.

Vaccinium tenellum

Ericaceae

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Nearly worldwide. ~120 genera; 26 genera treated in Flora.

Some authorities treat the subfamilies of Ericaceae as distinct families. Within Oregon, these would include Monotropaceae, Pyrolaceae, and Vacciniaceae. Conservatively, we have chosen not to recognize these families. Non-photosynthetic ericaceous species are often referred to as saprophytes, plants that use decaying or non-living organic matter for nourishment. In reality, these species are true parasites, obtaining all of their nutrition from mycorrhizal fungi, which in turn parasitize photosynthetic plants, usually conifers. They are more appropriately referred to as epiparasites or mycotrophs.

Source

Flora of Oregon, volume 1

Sibling taxa