ERICA cubica.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris basi bicornibus, sub-inclusis; stylus longissimus; corollis sub-campanulatis, purureis, oris laciniis patulis, maximis, ovatis; foliis sub-quaternis, obtusis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis erectus, teres, ramosus, fruticosus, pedalis; rami et ramuli filiformes, laxi, erecti.
Folia quaterna, sæpe quina, obtusa, reflexa, apice incurvata, glabra, nitida, subtus sulcata; petiolis rubris, adpressis.
Flores sub-terminales, umbellati, cernui; pedunculi longissimi, angulati, purpurei, foliolis binis, coloratis instructi.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis ovatis, acuminatis, adpressis, apicibus viridis.
Corolla globoso-campanulata, purpurea, limbo maximo, expanso; laciniis ovatis, concavis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria, longitudine tubi, receptaculo inserta. Antheræ bifidæ, ad basin bicornutæ.
Pistillum. Germen sub-globosum. Stylus filiformis, exsertus, corolla duplo longior, purpureus. Stigma concavum, marginatum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mensi Aprili, in Julium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx, et Corolla.
2. Calyx lente auctus.
3. Stamina, et Pistillum.
4. Stamina a Pistillo diducta; anthera una lente aucta.
5. Stylus, et Stigma, lente aucta.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with tips two-horned at the base, nearly within the blossoms; shaft very long; blossoms almost bell-shaped, and purple, having the segments of the mouth spreading, very large, and egg-shaped; leaves growing mostly by fours, and blunt ended.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem upright, cylindrical, branching, shrubby, growing a foot high; the larger and smaller branches are thread-shaped, weak, and upright.
Leaves grow by fours, often by fives, blunt ended, bent back, and turned inward at the point; smooth, shining, and channelled beneath; foot-stalks red, and pressed to the stem.
The Flowers grow near the summits of the branches, in bunches, hanging down; having very long foot-stalks, angled, purple, and two small, coloured leaves on them.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, which are egg-shaped, tapered, and pressed to the blossom, the points green.
Blossom globularly bell-shaped and purple, the border very large and spreading; the segments egg-shaped and concave.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, the length of the tube, fixed into the receptacle. Tips two-cleft, and two-horned at the base.
Pointal. Seed-bud nearly globular. Shaft thread-shaped, without the blossom, twice its length, and purple. Summit concave, and bordered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from April, till July.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement, and Blossom.
2. The Empalement magnified.
3. The Chives, and Pointal.
4. The Chives detached from the Pointal; one tip magnified.
5. The Shaft, and Summit, magnified.
