Taxa
Erica
EOL Text
Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Altica longicollis grazes on leaf of Erica
Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Altica oleracea grazes on leaf of Erica
Foodplant / sap sucker
hypophyllous, colonial Aspidioterus nerii sucks sap of live leaf of Erica
Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Berytinus crassipes sucks sap of Erica
Foodplant / saprobe
subiculate pseudothecia of Byssolophis sphaerioides is saprobic on dead stem of Erica
Plant / associate
Caenopsis fissirostris is associated with Erica
Plant / associate
Caenopsis waltoni is associated with Erica
Plant / resting place / on
male of Ceratothrips ericae may be found on live Erica
Remarks: season: 2-10
Plant / associate
Coniocleonus nebulosus is associated with Erica
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / endophyte
Cystodendron anamorph of Cystodendron dryophilus endophyte within live Erica
Foodplant / gall
Eriococcus devoniensis causes gall of leaf of Erica
Foodplant / parasite
conidial anamorph of Erysiphe azaleae parasitises live leaf of Erica
Remarks: captive: in captivity, culture, or experimentally induced
Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Frankliniella intonsa feeds on live flower of Erica
Remarks: season: 5-10
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
Globiceps juniperi feeds on Erica
Plant / associate
adult of Hallodapus rufescens is associated with Erica
Remarks: season: early 7-9
Foodplant / pathogen
fruitbody of Heterobasidion annosum infects and damages live root of Erica
Other: minor host/prey
Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Kleidocerys ericae sucks sap of Erica
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Foodplant / sap sucker
adult of Macrodema micropterum sucks sap of leaf of Erica
Other: minor host/prey
Plant / associate
Micrelus ericae is associated with Erica
Plant / associate
fruitbody of Mycena megaspora is associated with Erica
Other: major host/prey
Plant / associate
Orius niger is associated with Erica
Foodplant / saprobe
acervulus of Pestalotiopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Pestalotiopsis sydowiana is saprobic on dead Erica
Foodplant / visitor
adult of Physocephala nigra visits for nectar and/or pollen flower of Erica
Plant / associate
Strophosoma capitatum is associated with Erica
Plant / associate
Strophosoma fulvicorne is associated with Erica
Plant / associate
Strophosoma nebulosum is associated with Erica
Plant / associate
Strophosoma sus is associated with Erica
Foodplant / feeds on
scattered, erumpent pycnidium of Topospora coelomycetous anamorph of Topospora obturata feeds on branch of Erica
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Rights holder/Author | BioImages, BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK) |
Source | http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/Erica.htm |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:388
Specimens with Sequences:427
Specimens with Barcodes:334
Species:73
Species With Barcodes:67
Public Records:294
Public Species:21
Public BINs:0
Erica[note 1]/ˈɛrɨkə/,[note 2] is a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae.[4] The English common names "heath" and "heather" are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance. The genus Calluna was formerly included in Erica – it differs in having even smaller scale-leaves (less than 2–3 mm long), and the flower corolla being consisting of separate petals. Erica is sometimes referred to as "winter (or spring) heather" to distinguish it from Calluna (summer (or autumn) heather).
Description[edit]
Most of the species are small shrubs from 20–150 cm (8–59 in) high, though some are taller; the tallest are E. arborea (tree heath) and E. scoparia (besom heath), both of which can reach up to 7 m (23 ft) tall. All are evergreen, with minute needle-like leaves 2–15 mm long. Flowers are sometimes axillary, and sometimes borne in terminal umbels or spikes, and are usually outward or downward facing. The seeds are very small, and in some species may survive in the soil for decades.
Habitat[edit]
At least 660 of the species are endemic to South Africa, and these are often called the Cape heaths, forming the largest genus in the fynbos. The remaining species are native to other parts of Africa, Madagascar, the Mediterranean and Europe.
Like most Ericaceae, Erica species are mainly calcifuges, being limited to acidic or very acidic soils. In fact the term "ericaceous" is frequently applied to all calcifuges, and to the compost used in their cultivation.[5] Soils range from dry, sandy soils to extremely wet ones such as bog. They often dominate dwarf-shrub habitats (heathland and moorland), or the ground vegetation of open acidic woodland.
Cultivation[edit]
Erica species are grown as landscape or garden plants for their floral effect. They associate well with conifers and are frequently seen in planting schemes as massed groundcover beneath varieties of dwarf conifers. They are capable of producing flower colour throughout the year. They can also be grown in tubs or window boxes to provide interest through autumn and into winter.[6]
Ecology[edit]
Plants of this genus are eaten mainly by the larvae of many Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth, Garden tiger moth, True Lover's Knot, Wormwood Pug and the Coleophora case-bearers C. juncicolella and C. pyrrhulipennella.
Some species of sunbird are known to visit and pollinate Erica. Two such species are the Southern Double-collared Sunbird and the Orange-breasted Sunbird.
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ The Latin word erica means "heath" or "broom".[1] It is believed that Pliny adapted erica from Theophrastus' Ancient Greek ἐρείκη.[2]
- ^ The expected Anglo-Latin pronunciation, /ɨˈraɪkə/, may be given in dictionaries (OED: "Erica"), but /ˈɛrɨkə/ is more commonly heard.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ Scarborough, John (1992). Medical Terminologies : Classical Origins Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture 13. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-806-13029-3.
- ^ Gledhill, David (2008). The Names of Plants. Cambridge University Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-521-86645-3.
- ^ Sunset Editors (1995). Sunset Western Garden Book. Leisure Arts. pp. 606–607. ISBN 978-0-37603-851-7.
- ^ Manning, John; Paterson-Jones, Colin (2008). Field Guide to Fynbos. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-77007-265-7.
- ^ Shorter Oxford English dictionary, 6th ed. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. 2007. p. 3804. ISBN 0199206872.
- ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
-
Heather fields in Ortegal (Galicia).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Erica. |
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Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erica&oldid=652800255 |
Erica haematocodon (the Blood-bell Heath) is a species of erica that was naturally restricted to the city of Cape Town, South Africa, where it grows in the Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos of Table Mountain.
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See also
References
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erica_haematocodon&oldid=446016519 |