ERICA mucosa.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris aristatis, inclusis; corollis globosis, mucosis, fasciculatis, cernuo-patentibus, terminalibus; foliis quaternis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, tripedalis, ad basin fere ramosus, ramis longis, virgatis, flexuosis.
Folia quaterna, subtriangularia, linearia, apice recurvata, obtusa, glaberrima, subtus sulcata; brevissimis petiolis instructa.
Flores plures, terminales, fasciculati, cernuo-patentes, mucosi, purpurei fulgenti; pedunculis longis, purpureis, 2 seu 3 bracteis, instructis.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis ovatis, obtusis, erectis, corolla dimidio brevioribus.
Corolla globosa, limbo quadrilobo, laciniis semiorbiculatis, æqualibus, erectis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria, corolla breviora, receptaculo inserta. Antheræ aristatæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen subrotundum. Stylus filamentis crassior, erectus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mensi Augusti ad Decembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx et Corolla.
2. Calyx et Bractea lente aucta.
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 blossoms; which are globe-shaped, clammy, and in bunches, bending downward, spreading, and terminating the branches; leaves growing by fours.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, grows three feet high, branched nearly to the bottom, with long, slender, waving branches.
Leaves growing by fours, nearly triangular, linear, bent back at the point, blunt, smooth, and furrowed underneath; leaf-stems very short.
Flowers several, terminating the branches in bunches, bending downward and spreading, of a brilliant purple, and clammy; with very long foot-stalks, which are furnished with 2 or 3 floral-leaves.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, which are egg-shaped, blunt, upright, and half the length of the blossom.
Blossom globe-shaped, with a four-lobed border, each division forming a half-round, equal, and upright.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, shorter than the blossom, and fixed in the receptacle. Tips bearded, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-vessel roundish. Shaft thicker than the threads, and upright. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
In bloom from August till December.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement with the Blossom.
2. The Empalement and Floral-leaves magnified.
3. The Chives and Pointal.
4. The Chives detached from the Pointal, one tip magnified.
5. The Shaft and its Summit magnified.
