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Which major genera contain the most species in the heath family?
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Ericales
Flowering rhododendron.
The Ericaceae (heath family) is the largest family within the order Ericales, comprising 126 genera and approximately 4,000 species.12
The major genera in the family, ranked by their approximate number of species, include:
- Rhododendron: Approximately 1,000 species (including former genera such as Azalea).2
- Erica: Almost 800 species.23
- Vaccinium: About 400 species.2
- Gaultheria: 235 species.2
- Leucopogon: About 230 species.2
- Cavendishia: 155 species.2
These genera represent a significant portion of the family's diversity, which is widely distributed across tropical montane, Mediterranean, and temperate to arctic climates.2