ERICA discolor.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris aristatis, inclusis; stylo exserto; corollis tubulosis, subcylindraceis; foliis ternis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, tripedalis, teres, erectus, gracilis, superne pubescens, ramulis subsimplicibus.
Folia terna, linearia, erecto-patentia, supra plana, subtus revoluta, nitida, saturate viridia.
Flores plerumque tres, subcernui, ramei, terminales, prope caulis summitatem.
Calyx. Perianthium duplex, interius tetraphyllum, foliolis ovatis, erectis, luteo-virentibus: exterius triphyllum, foliolis brevioribus priori incumbentibus.
Corolla tubulosa, subcylindracea, ima parte, carnea, pallida, summa, flavo-virescente, limbo quadrilobo, æquali erectiusculo.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria, receptaculo inserta. Antheræ oblongiusculæ, bipartitæ, inclusæ, aristatæ.
Pistillum. Germen oblongum. Stylus filiformis, corolla longior, apice inflexo. Stigma subtetragonum, virescens.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Novembri in Aprilem.
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 bearded tips within the blossom; the pointal standing out; the blossom tubular, nearly cylindrical; leaves growing by threes.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, grows to three feet high, cylindrical, upright, slender, downy at the top, the branches seldom divided.
Leaves growing by threes, linear, between upright and spreading, smooth on the upper, and rolled back on the under, surface, shining and dark green.
Flowers are commonly three together, bending a little downward, terminating the branches near the upper part of the stem.
Empalement. Cup double, the inner four-leaved, ovate, erect, and of a greenish yellow: the outer three-leaved, the leaves shorter than the former, and lying on them.
Blossom tubular, nearly cylindrical, of a light flesh colour at the base, and yellowish green at the mouth, which is divided into four equal nearly erect segments.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, fixed into the receptacle. Tips nearly oblong, divided, bearded, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-vessel oblong. Shaft thread-shaped, longer than the blossom, the point bending. The Summit nearly four-cornered, and greenish.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Time of flowering from November till April.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement with the Blossom.
2. The Empalement magnified.
3. The Chives and Pointal.
4. The Chives detached from the Pointal, one tip magnified.
5. The Shaft, and its Summit magnified.
