About Erica canariensis Rivas Mart., Martín Osorio & Wildpret
Erica canariensis resembles Erica arborea, but can be distinguished by several key traits. It grows as an upright tree reaching 6 to 9 meters in height, with a trunk up to 2 meters in diameter. Young branches are densely covered, mostly with simple hairs of varying lengths. Its leaves are more or less flat, and only slightly revolute (inrolled). It produces elongated pyramidal inflorescences, with a shortly bell-shaped corolla that grows up to 5 mm long. Its white bell-shaped flowers separate it from the other Canary Islands species, Erica platycodon. This species is native to Madeira and the Canary Islands, where it grows in shady forests and thickets. Its holotype was collected on the north side of Teide on Tenerife, at an altitude of approximately 2,100 m.
