Plants of this family occur nearly world-wide. One often finds it on poor, sour soil, on which they receive necessary nutrients by Mykorrhiza (symbiosis with soil mushrooms).

Systematics

One divides the family into eight Unterfamilien with approximately 126 kinds and about 4000 kinds.

• (Arbutus)
• Bear grapes/clusters (Arctostaphylos)
• Broom heath (Calluna)
• Arctic bell heath (Cassiope tetragona)
• Heath herb (Erica)
• Winter becoming green smoke (Gaultheria)
• (Loiseleuria procumbens)
• Winter-green (Pyrola)
• Rhododendron (Rhododendron).
• Bilberries (Vaccinium)
• Rosmarinheide (Andromeda polifolia)
• Chamaedaphne
  • (Chamaedaphne calyculata)
• Ear heath (Bruckenthalia)
• Rhodothamnus
  • Dwarf alpine rose (Rhodothamnus chamaecistus)
• Pieris
• Chimaphila
  • DOL-the-winter-dear (Chimaphila umbellata)
• Orthilia
  • (Orthilia secunda)
• Monotropa
  • Spruce asparagus (Monotropa hypopitys)

Literature

• Kron, K.A., W.S. Judd, P.F. Stevens, D.M. Crayn, A.A. Anderberg, PER ANNUM Gadek, C.J. Quinn, and J.L. Luteyn: A phylogenetic classification OF Ericaceae: Molecular and morphological evidence. In: Botanical Review 68 (2002), P. 335-423. (Summary)

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