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Definition Of Heath

The heaths have small, usually very narrow leaves arranged in whorls set closely together on the shoots. The long-lasting flowers have four sepals and a four-cleft bell-shaped or tubular corolla , which is inflated in many species. Most heaths are low shrubs, but some African species are large bushes or trees. Pollination of the flowers may be by wind, birds, or insects, depending on the species.

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app. Heath is defined as part of the family Ericaceae of plants. As well as three varieties of heather, the heath also has woods and open grassland and a sandy beach. 

The bird fauna of heathlands are usually cosmopolitan species of the region. In the depauperate heathlands of Europe, bird species tend to be more characteristic of the community, and include Montagu's harrier and the tree pipit. The birds of the South African fynbos include sunbirds, warblers and siskins. Heathlands are also an excellent habitat for insects including ants, moths, butterflies and wasps; many species are restricted entirely to it. One such example of an organism restricted to heathland is the silver-studded blue butterfly, Plebejus argus.