Plants trees, shrubs, and subshrubs, usually much branched. Leaves whorled, very small, with revolute margins. Inflorescences in terminal or axillary racemes or umbels of up to 30 flowers; pedicels usually with 2 bracteoles. Calyces and corollas 4-merous, radially symmetric; seals free or almost so; petals united, the lobes usually shorter than the tube; stamens usually 8; filaments free; anthers often with appendages, opening by pores; ovaries superior, 4(-8)-celled; style 1. Fruits loculicidal capsules.
Erica includes more than 700 species, most of which grow in the Cape region but it also grows in tropical Africa, Madagascar, the Mediterranean region, Europe and the southwestern portion of the Arabian peninsula.