ERICA Bruniades.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, exsertis, floribus terminalibus, sessilibus, sub-ternis; corollis albidis, urceolatis, tectis calyce lanato; calycis foliolis ovatis, carneis; foliis ternis, linearibus, obtusis, margine revolutis, pilosis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis filiformis, sub-erectus, glaber, flexuosus; rami filiformes, villosi, ramuli capillares, frequentes, tomentosi.
Folia terna, linearia, obtusa; seniora, reflexa, juniora patentia, margine pilis longis hirta.
Flores in extremis ramulis terminales, sessiles, sub-terni; bracteis tribus, minutis, adpressis.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis ovatis, concavis, exterioribus totis densissime albo-lanatis, interioribus carneis.
Corolla urceolata, pubescens, alba, tota tecta calyce lanato; oris laciniis patentibus, obtusis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria. Antheris muticis, exsertis, atris.
Pistillum. Germen turbinatum, pubescentem, ad basin glandulosum. Stylus filiformis, staminibus paulo longior. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mensi Februarii in Junium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Folium unum, lente auctum.
2. Calyx.
3. Calyx, auctus.
4. Corolla.
5. Corolla, aucta.
6. Stamina, et Pistillum.
7. Stamina a Pistillo diducta.
8. Stamen unum, auctum.
9. Pistillum, auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, without the blossom, flowers terminating the smaller branches, nearly without foot-stalks, mostly by threes; blossoms white, pitcher-shaped, and covered by a woolly cup; the leaflets of the cup are egg-shaped, and flesh-coloured; the leaves grow by threes, are linear, blunt, rolled back at the edge, and hairy.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem thread-shaped, nearly upright, smooth, and growing zig-zag; the branches are thread-shaped, and hairy; the smaller branches are hair-like, numerous, and downy.
Leaves grow by threes, are linear, and blunt, the older ones are bent back, the younger ones spreading out, the edge covered with long hairs.
Flowers grow at the extremity of the younger branches, sitting close, and mostly by threes; three small floral leaves, pressed to the cup.
Empalement. Cup of four leaves, which are egg-shaped, concave, on their outsides covered with a thick white wool, and on their insides flesh coloured.
Blossom pitcher-shaped, downy, white, and covered totally by a woolly cup; the segments of the mouth are spread out, and blunt.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads. Tips beardless, without the blossom, and black.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shape, downy, and glandular at the base. Shaft thread-shaped, a little longer than the chives. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from February, till June.
REFERENCE.
1. A Leaf, magnified.
2. The Empalement.
3. The Empalement, magnified.
4. The Blossom.
5. The Blossom, magnified.
6. The Chives, and Pointal.
7. The Chives, detached from the Pointal.
8. A Chive, magnified.
9. The Pointal, magnified.
