Flora of North America species comparison

erect, arching, spreading, creeping, or procumbent.

petiole 0.5–1.5 mm;

blade light green abaxially, shiny dark green adaxially, oblanceolate to obovate, 2.5–4 × 0.3–1 cm, subcoriaceous, base cuneate, margins entire, (scattered stipitate-glandular-hairy and ciliate, 2–5 cilia per mm), apex obtuse to subacute, mucronate, surfaces scattered stipitate-glandular-hairy and sessile-glandular, adaxial surface sometimes glabrescent.

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

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

blade plane, abaxial groove absent.

erect or arching, 5–8-flowered, bracteate, 3–6 cm, stipitate-glandular-hairy;

bracts persistent, leaflike, expanding to 5–12 mm, equaling or longer than pedicels, hairy and stipitate-glandular-hairy.

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).

2–3 mm, hairy and stipitate-glandular-hairy;

bracteoles 1–2, 2–5 mm.

sepals 5, 2 mm, sparsely to moderately hairy (hairs 0.2–0.3 mm) and stipitate-glandular-hairy;

petals 5, corolla white to pink, sometimes reddish, campanulate, 3–5 mm, lobes triangular, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments 0.3–0.5 mm, sparsely hairy;

anthers included, 3–3.5 mm, thecae divergent distally;

ovary stipitate-glandular-hairy, hairs 0.2–0.3 mm.

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, dehiscence loculicidal, or baccate or drupaceous, indehiscent.

juicy, insipid, black, 6–8 mm diam., stipitate-glandular.

1.5–1.8 mm.

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.