The carrot family (Umbelliferæ). This family includes the wild carrot (Daucus carota), the poison-hemlock (Cicuta), the cultivated carrot and parsnip, and a large number of other genera and species.
The dogwood family (Cornaceæ). The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), abundant in eastern North America, is an example.
Series 2. GAMOPETALÆ (= Sympetalæ or Metachlamydæ). Petals partly or wholly united, rarely separate or wanting.
975. Order Ericales.—There are six families in eastern United States. Examples:
The wintergreen family (Pyrolaceæ), including the shin-leaf (Pyrola elliptica).
The Indian-pipe family (Monotropaceæ), with the Indian-pipe (Monotropa uniflora) and other humus saprophytes. ([See paragraphs 182-191].)
The heath family (Ericaceæ). Examples: Labrador tea (Ledum), in bogs and swamps in northern North America. The azaleas, with several species widely distributed, are beautiful flowering shrubs, and many varieties are cultivated. The rhododendrons are larger with larger flower clusters, also beautiful flowering shrubs. R. maximum in the Alleghany Mountains and vicinity, from Nova Scotia to Ohio and Georgia. R. catawbiense, usually at somewhat higher elevations, Virginia to Georgia. The mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) and other species rival the rhododendrons and azaleas in beauty. The trailing arbutus (Epigæa repens) in sandy or rocky woods is a well-known small trailing shrub in eastern North America. The sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a tree with white racemes of flowers in August, and scarlet leaves in autumn. The spring or creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a small shrub with aromatic leaves, and bright red spicy berries.
The huckleberry family (Vaccinaceæ) includes the huckleberries (example, Gaylussacia resinosa, the black or high-bush huckleberry, eastern United States), the mountain cranberry (Vitis-Idæa vitisidæa = Vaccinium vitisidæa) in the northern hemisphere; the bilberries and blueberries (of genus Vaccinium); the cranberries (examples: the large American cranberry, Oxycoccus macrocarpus and the European cranberry, Oxycoccus oxycoccus, in cold bogs of northern North America, the latter also in Europe and Asia).
976. Order Primulales.—Two families here. The primrose family (Primulaceæ) contains the loosestrifes (Steironema), star-flower (Trientalis), etc.
977. Order Ebenales.—Of the four families, the ebony family (Ebenaceæ) contains the well-known persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) and the storax family (Styracaceæ) with the silverbell, or snowdrop tree (Mohrodendron carolinum).