Synopsis of the Ericaceae Plants

The Ericaceae plants, also known as the heath family, are part of the order Ericales, the subclass Dilleniidae, the class Magnoliopsida, the division Magnoliophyta, the superdivision Spermatophyta, the subkingdom Tracheobrionta, and the kingdom Plantae. This family has been around for many millennia, and so its origins are hard to trace. They may have arisen in North America or Eurasia, or perhaps even on the Pangean continent of Laurasia (the Americas and Eurasia combined). In the modern world, Ericaceae species can be found anywhere with a temperate climate in either hemisphere. They are most diverse in southern Africa and western China.

Morphologically, the Ericaceae are a diverse group. They do have a few distinguishing and unifying characteristics. All flowers have a fused corona, and most leaves are simple and alternate with a dark green color and a leathery texture. Many have evergreen leaves, and most are woody shrubs while a few are trees or herbs. Beyond this, the family is very diverse. The flowers, while mostly being bell- or urn-shaped, come in a vast array of shapes and sizes. The leaves may also come in a wide range of shapes and sizes depending on the climate a particular species grows in. Some of the Ericaceae are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants. Some don't have chlorophyll, but instead rely on other photosynthetic pigments. This family's members come in quite a wide variety of forms.

The Ericaceae family is a family of moderate size with 100 genera and approximately 3000 species. Three of the most well known genera are Rhododendron, Phyllodoce, and Vaccinium. Rhododendrons and azaleas are ornamental shrubs included in the Rhododendron genus. Heathers belong to the genus Phyllodoce. The Vaccinium genus contains berry-bearing plants such as gooseberry, cranberry, and blueberry.

Let's take some time to talk about Vaccinium cyanococcus, the blueberry. The specific epithet “cyanococcus” literally translates into “blue sphere,” an apt name for these small blue fruits. America is by far the leading exporter of blueberries. Until recently, our exports surpassed those of all other countries combined. Within the U.S., Maine is responsible for growing 25% of our blueberry crop.

Blueberry cultivation and use has been part of American life since long before the Europeans settled this continent. The Native Americans called them “star berries” and believed that they were one of The Great Spirit's greatest gifts to mankind. Culinarily, they ate them raw and used them to flavor and preserve meats. They also used them medicinally to treat coughs and other minor ailments.

Blueberries remain popular today. They are eaten fresh, dried, frozen, preserved, or cooked into a variety of delectable dishes. Plus, they're incredibly healthy. Like all fruits, they are low in calories and fat, and high in vitamins. In addition, blueberries have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants in any food. They also reduce indigestion and constipation, help prevent some types of cancer, and slow down the loss of memory, vision, and motor skills due to old age. There is so much good-for-you packed into such a tiny, delicious snack. Vaccinium cyanococcus is quite an impressive species out of the Ericaceae plants.



References

• “Blueberry.” agriculturalproductsindia.com. Agro Products, 2008. Web. November 9, 2009.
• “Classification for Kingdom Plantae Down to Family Ericaceae.” Plants Database. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. November 9, 2009.
• Drotleff, Laura. “Blueberries For Better Health.” American Fruit Grower v. 126 no. 10 November/December 2006 p. 48-49. OmniFile FT Mega (Wilson). Web. November 9, 2009.
• “Ericaceae.” Academic.reed.edu. Reed College, n.d. Web. November 9, 2009.
• Friis, Ib; Balslev, Henrik. Plant Diversity and Complexity Patterns: Local, Regional, and Global Dimensions. Denmark: Special-Trykkeriet Viborg, 2005. Print.
• Raloff, Janet. “Berry good protection for aging brains.” Science News v. 156 no. 12, 18 September 1999, p. 180-181. Readers' Guide Full Text (Wilson). Web. November 9, 2009.
• Rose, Melody. “Blueberries: History, Culture, and Uses.” Davesgarden.com. Dave's Garden, n.d. Web. November 9, 2009.
• Rowland, L. J. “Vaccinium spp. Blueberry./ edited by Litz, R. E.; [electronic resource].” 2005. Purdue University Catalog. Web. November 9, 2009.
• “U.S. Blueberry Industry.”United States Department of Agriculture: Economics, Statistics, and Market Information System. Economic Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. November 9, 2009.

H1Z1 Outbreak Journal: Day 3

I woke up knowing that I needed to eat soon or die. I encountered no meals on my way to class, but I heard about the desperate acts of some of my fellow zombies. They hid in the second level of the parking garage at University and Second and jumped out behind a group of humans. It was a total massacre.

After my next class I headed to the place where I knew I could find an encampment of the infected. They were indeed there, and they were more organized than before. Whenever a zombie catches a victim, he shares his feed with the two zombies closest to death. The community takes care of its brothers. The only remaining humans are all either cowards or cunning. Or both. We almost had a few of them, but they all escaped. I was going wild with the need to consume brains when a fellow patient came running carrying a fresh victim. Another famished companion and I immediately devoured any brains that remained in the human. With my stomach full, I stuck around for a while, but the corner of my brain that remained human reminded me of my school duties. I wished them all happy hunting and took my leave.

This evening I left campus to go to a debate at IU. I was concerned that I might become violent while crowded into a car, but for some reason I was fine. I sat next to Julia, who also has H1Z1, and none of the guys lived on campus. The disease is very localized. You can't contract it unless you live on campus, and those with the disease don't find the brains of those living off-campus to be very appealing. This was a great comfort to me, because I also feared that I would be hostile toward Josh and my other friends from Cincinnati. Fortunately, I felt exponentially more "human" as we left campus. By the time we reached IU, I could barely detect my unnatural urges for human brains.

Once again, I couldn't help my fellow zombie's with tonight's mission. Maybe tomorrow will be different. We'll see.

H1Z1 Outbreak Journal: Day 2

I woke up this morning hungry for brains. I wasn't craving them, they just sounded like a nice thing to eat. Once again, I saw no humans or infected on the way to my first class. After class, I stumbled upon a small group of fellow zombies. We were soon joined by another group and several other loners. We cornered some humans in Matthews, but they weren't going to budge and we were losing our patience. Some of our number were in dire need of food, and they weren't in the mood to sit around.

After a few fruitless chases after individual humans, we finally caught one. When she fell, she lost a flap of skin on her hand and was distressed. That seemed odd to me. I don't mind when my skin falls off, and neither do my fellow zombies. I declined the offer to share its brains. There were others hungrier than I, and I hadn't lost all sense of humanity yet.

The group dissipated, but I stuck with a fellow H1Z1 patient for a while. After a nice chat and a close chase after two humans in which he was stunned, we parted ways and I continued on to a meeting.

For lunch, I went to the human eating establishment to keep up appearances of normality as best as is possible, but I found that I had little appetite for the food that had once seemed so tantalizing. I soon gave up. While inside the building, I was able to think almost like any ordinary human, so I got quite a lot of school work done.

Nothing else of interest has happened today. I didn't get to feed, and I'm starting to feel the need for brain tissue. I won't be able to even feign civility for long.

H1Z1 Outbreak Journal: Day 1

I knew there were a few H1Z1 patients out there. The only question was how to recognize them. This early in the outbreak, doctors have yet to release a definitive set of symptoms. Other than the fact that they eat your brains. By that point it's too late. I had in my possession a helmet that I hoped would slow down any zombie's attempts to get to my brains. With my helmet and gun, I set out for the day.

I walked to class cautiously, checking around every corner and occasionally checking behind my back. I arrived safely without seeing any signs of the infected. In class, I found a classmate who was also prepared to deal with any of the infected. We wished each other luck and went our separate ways. Our professor must have heard about the H1Z1 outbreak, because she had us make zombie protection charms masquerading as a hands-on experience with seed germination.

The walk to my next class was uneventful. The most direct path happened to go through an area of low traffic to the ag mall, and specialists aren't predicting that the infected will be as much of a threat on the other side of State Street. They are slow-moving and easily mowed down by cars. Upon arriving, I discovered that one of my classmates had been infected. They had surrounded him, and he never had a chance. Fortunately, the infected seem to revert to their normal human state upon entering buildings. Some specialists suggest that the artificial lighting may be responsible.

I emerged from the building and continued on my way. In a safe zone, I met up with a fellow human and exchanged information. Once again, I arrived at my next destination without problems despite the fact that I had crossed back over State Street and entered high-traffic areas. Inside I found several fellow humans, and we shared our experiences and encouraged one another.

I rushed on to another meeting an hour or so later. All was going well. Too well. I had become over-confident. I didn't check around corners or glance behind my back at any point on my way to Wiley. I was almost there when a touch on my back stopped me cold. I had been infected. The zombie seemed to be new to the disease, so he wasn't as far gone as I had expected. All my protection had failed me. Before I reached my destination, I was accosted by a group of the infected, but they left me alone once they saw that I was one of them.

The effects of the disease didn't set in immediately. I saw a few of the uninfected, but I didn't feel a need to devour them. Yes, I had the feeling that their cerebrums would be quite delicious, but I merely toyed with them from a distance and made no real threats. Later in the evening, I discovered that a few of my friends had become infected. One of them shared a fresh kill with me. I tasted the brains. They were good. My appetite grew steadily. We will see what tomorrow brings. Hopefully plump and luscious neurons are involved.