Erica

Erica/ˈɛrᵻkə/, is a genus of roughly 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The English common names "heath" and "heather" are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance. The genus Calluna was formerly included in Erica – it differs in having even smaller scale-leaves (less than 2–3 mm long), and the flower corolla being consisting of separate petals. Erica is sometimes referred to as "winter (or spring) heather" to distinguish it from Calluna "summer (or autumn) heather".

Description

Most of the species are small shrubs from 20–150 cm (8–59 in) high, though some are taller; the tallest are E. arborea (tree heath) and E. scoparia (besom heath), both of which can reach up to 7 m (23 ft) tall. All are evergreen, with minute, needle-like leaves 2–15 mm long. Flowers are sometimes axillary, and sometimes borne in terminal umbels or spikes, and are usually outward or downward facing. The seeds are very small, and in some species may survive in the soil for decades.

Erica, Emmen

Erica is a village in the northeastern Netherlands. It is located in Emmen, Drenthe. It has ca. 4800 inhabitants.

Erica began to form in 1863. A fuel shortage prompted large-scale efforts to drain the peats in the area and cut them for fuel. People were drawn to the area and canals were dug, both to drain the peat and to transport the cuts. Buckwheat was farmed on the drained peats. Now, the area's primary industry consists of greenhouse cultivation.

Many of the early inhabitants of Erica were Roman Catholic, and the area is still a Roman Catholic "stronghold".

Coordinates: 52°43′N 6°56′E / 52.717°N 6.933°E / 52.717; 6.933

Erika (given name)

The given name Erika, or Erica, is a feminine form of Eric, deriving from the Old Norse name Eiríkr (or Eríkr in Eastern Scandinavia due to monophthongization). The first element, ei- is derived either from the older Proto-NorseZ*aina(z) meaning "one" or "some", or from Proto-Norse *aiwa(z) meaning "fair" or "tradition". The second element -ríkr derives either from *rík(a)z meaning "ruler" or "prince" (cf. Gothic reiks), or from an even older Proto-Germanic *ríkiaz which meant "powerful" and "rich". The name is thus usually taken to mean something along the lines of "one ruler", "autocrat", "eternal ruler" or "ever powerful".

It is a common name in many Western societies. It is also a popular given name in Japan. Erica is also the name of a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as "heaths" or "heathers" in English.

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