Key to the Genera of Ericaceae of Ecuador

1a.
Ovary superior.
2a.
Corolla polypetalous; fruit a septicidal capsule; seeds winged or tailed
.................................................................................................Bejaria
2b.
Corolla sympetalous; fruit a loculicidal capsule or berry; seeds not winged nor tailed.
3a.
Stamen with filaments geniculate; anthers without terminal awns; fruit a naked capsule
........................................................................................Agarista
3b.
Stamen with filaments straight; anthers with terminal awns; fruit a capsule surrounded by the fleshy calyx, or a berry.
4a.
Fruit a capsule surrounded by the fleshy calyx
...............................................................................Gaultheria
4b.
Fruit a berry, rarely calyx becoming fleshy at base but never surrounding the berry
..............................................................................Pernettya
1b.
Ovary inferior.
5a.
Stamen of unequal lengths, the filaments or anthers or both of alternately different lengths.
6a.
Filaments equal and coherent over entire length
........................................................................................Satyria
6b.
Filaments unequal, usually distinct.
7a.
Anthers unequal; stamen usually as long as corolla; floral bracts usually large and persistent
...............................................................................Cavendishia
7b.
Anthers equal; stamen usually about one-third as long as corolla floral bracts usually small, sometimes large, but always caducous.
...............................................................................Orthaea
5b.
Stamen of equal lengths, the filaments and anthers of equal lengths.
8a.
Stamen about one-third to two-thirds as long as corolla; anther tubules short in proportion to the thecae, elongate-conical, and rigid.
9a.
Anther tubules fused into one; staminal filaments connate; calyx sharply angled and usually winged; corolla angled to ribbed, rarely terete; berry translucent white
...............................................................................Macleania
9b.
Anther tubules two, distinct or laterally connate; staminal filaments distinct (very rarely connate); calyx terete; corolla terete; berry blue-black or green, never translucent white.
10a.
Corolla subglobose, broadly urceolate, or cylindric-subglobose to cylindric-urceolate, usually < 10 (-14) mm long
......................................................................Psammisia
10b.
Corolla cylindric to cylindric-urceolate, usually elongate and > 14 mm long.
11a.
Anthers (sometimes alternate ones) bearing horn-like spurs (sometimes inconspicuous) along connective, if spurless then corolla conspicuously and abruptly constricted once or twice at or below the middle; anther tubules 2, distinct or connate in lower half
.............................................................Psammisia
11b.
Anthers without spurs; corolla always gradually narrowing distally not abruptly constricted; anther tubules 2, laterally connate sometimes to the tip
.............................................................Macleania
8b.
Stamen usually as long as corolla; anther tubules usually equalling or much longer than the thecae, cylindric, and flexible.
12a.
Calyx articulate with pedicel.
13a.
Stamen with tubules about half the diameter of the thecae, and very elongate (3--5 times the thecae length); thecae very coarsely granular; corolla usually basally gibbous and with proportionately very elongate lobes
........................................................................Ceratostema
13b.
Stamen with tubules about equal in diameter with thecae, not elongate (at most 2 times the thecae length); thecae smooth; corolla cylindric over entire length with lobes proportionately short.
14a.
Flowers subsessile; bracteoles apical, usually clasping and completely surrounding calyx and often lower part of corolla
...............................................................Disterigma
14b.
Flowers obviously pedicellate; bracteoles usually basal, never clasping or surrounding calyx or corolla.
15a.
Corolla cylindric-tubular, usually greater than 11 mm long, texture carnose and coriaceous, the lobes valvate; staminal filaments proportionally short and inconspicuous with regards to anther.
16a.
Calyx hypanthium angled or winged; leaves alternate or rarely subopposite; staminal tubules usually 1.5--2 times longer than thecae
..........................................Plutarchia
16b.
Calyx hypanthium usually terete; leaves alternate; staminal tubules usually about equalling (rarely shorter than) thecae
..........................................Thibaudia
15b.
Corolla urceolate, 7--12 mm long, texture thin and membranous, the lobes imbricate; staminal filaments proportionally long with regards to anther.
17a.
Fruit a drupe with 10 pyrenes, the ovary with a single ovule in each of the 10 locules
..........................................Gaylussacia
17b.
Fruit a many-seeded berry, the ovary with few to numerous ovules in each of the 5 (-10) locules
..........................................Vaccinium
12b.
Calyx continuous with pedicel.
18a.
Stamen with tubules thin, about half the diameter of the thecae, and very elongate (usually 3--6 times the thecae length).
19a.
Stamen 5, the anther thecae smooth
.............................................................Oreanthes
19b.
Stamen 10, the anther thecae smooth or coarsely granular.
20a.
Anther thecae smooth; corolla 4--8 mm basal diam., the lobes inconspicuous, 1--2 mm long; leaves succulent when fresh
....................................................Oreanthes
20b.
Anther thecae coarsely granular; corolla 8--16 mm basal diam., the lobes very conspicuous, either long and narrow or short and very broad; leaves not succulent.
21a.
Corolla 16--20 mm long, broadly pentagonal, basally ventricose, distally narrowed, the lobes elongate, narrow, and strongly reflexed
..........................................Ceratostema
21b.
Corolla 31--50 (-65) mm long, terete, basally narrowed, distally broadened, the lobes short, broad, and erect
..........................................Semiramisia
18b.
Stamen with tubules about equal in diameter with the thecae, not elongate (at most 2 times the thecae length).
22a.
Calyx and corolla both terete, neither angled nor winged; corollas usually small, membranous, to 10 mm long (some Sphyrospermum to 22 mm long); seeds with green embryos.
23a.
Flowers solitary or in twos; pedicel often cernuous, filiform, elongate; filaments usually longer than anthers; nectariferous disc often not apparent
...................................................Sphyrospermum
23b.
Flowers usually in few- to many-flowered fascicles or racemes, rarely solitary; pedicel slender but not normally cernuous; filaments usually shorter than anthers; nectariferous disc usually conspicuous
...................................................Diogenesia
22b.
Calyx angled to winged; corolla terete to winged; corollas usually large, carnose to coriaceous, (10-) 14--35 mm long; seeds with green or white embryos.
24a.
Corolla 8--15 mm long, usually terete, but if narrowly winged then broadest at the base, whitish- to yellowish-green in color; seeds with embryo green
...................................................Themistoclesia
24b.
Corolla 8--35 mm long, narrowly winged over entire length and pinkish-white to red in color, or broadly winged distally and with the color combination of reddish-orange basally becoming green at throat and with white lobes; seeds with embryo white.
25a.
Corolla usually broadest distally because of wings, reddish-orange basally becoming green at throat and with white lobes, 8--12 mm long; leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled
..........................................Anthopterus
25b.
Corolla cylindric, essentially of equal diameter throughout, pinkish-white to red in color, 10--35 mm long; leaves alternate
..........................................Thibaudia