Heather family (Ericaceae)

The 2 500 members of this large plant family are woody plants and have often adapted to unfavourable living conditions. They are growing in heathland, bogs or the mediterranean hard scrub. Apart from the holarctic species (bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), heather (Calluna vulgaris), cowberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), rhododendron species have been introduced from asia as ornamental plants. The figure shows fruits of the bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus).