Flora of North America species comparison

erect or procumbent;

twigs glabrous or hairy.

erect, arching, spreading, creeping, or procumbent.

persistent, aromatic;

blade ovate, elliptic, or orbiculate to subcordate or reniform, coriaceous, margins serrate, crenate, or ciliate, plane or revolute, surfaces glabrous or hairy;

venation reticulodromous or brochidodromous.

deciduous or persistent, alternate, sometimes pseudoverticillate (Pieris);

petiole usually present, sometimes absent (some species of Vaccinium);

blade plane, abaxial groove absent.

axillary, racemes, 2–12-flowered, sometimes flowers solitary; (bracteoles closely subtending flowers).

usually axillary, sometimes terminal, usually panicles or racemes, sometimes corymbs or fascicles, sometimes solitary flowers, (borne on leafy twigs, except Zenobia on leafless twigs);

perulae absent;

bracts much shorter than sepals (sometimes absent).

sepals (4–)5, connate basally to nearly their entire lengths, (sometimes exceeding petals), ovate, deltate, or cordate;

petals (4–)5, connate ca. 1/2 to nearly their entire lengths, white or cream to pink, corolla urceolate to campanulate, lobes much shorter than tube;

stamens 8 or 10, included, (inserted at base of ovary);

filaments straight, flattened, usually widest proximally, glabrous or hairy, sometimes papillose, without spurs;

anthers with 2–4 awns or without awns, dehiscent by pores with ventral slits, (white disintegration tissue present dorsally along connective);

pistil 4–5-carpellate;

ovary 5-locular;

stigma truncate or capitate.

pendulous;

perianth and androecium hypogynous or epigynous (Gaylussacia, Vaccinium);

sepals (4-)5[-8];

petals 4-5(-6), connate (rarely distinct or nearly so in some species of Vaccinium), corolla deciduous, campanulate, cylindric, or urceolate, lobes usually much shorter (sometimes longer) than tube;

intrastaminal nectary disc absent or present;

stamens 8-10[-16];

anthers dehiscent by terminal pores or short slits;

ovary 5- or 10-locular;

placentation axile;

style straight.

capsular, 5-valved, globose, fleshy, (surrounded by persistent, fleshy calyx).

capsular, dehiscence loculicidal, or baccate or drupaceous, indehiscent.

20–80+, ovoid;

testa smooth.

2-300, distinct, ovoid or obovoid to ellipsoid, lanceoloid, or conic, to angular or wedge- or crescent-shaped, usually not winged, sometimes slightly winged or tailed.

= 11, 12, 13.