ERICA pulchella.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, inclusis; flores sub-globosi, incarnati, axillares, paniculati; caulis filiformis, flexuosus; folia terna, trigona, sexfariam imbricata.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis flexuosus, pedalis, glaber; rami flexuosi, sub-simplices, filiformes, longi.
Folia terna, trigona, glabra, obtusa, sexfariam imbricata, sub-erecta; petiolis brevissimis, adpressis.
Flores in summis ramulis paniculati, axillares; pedunculi longissimi, bracteis tribus, minutis, remotis, instructi.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis ciliatis, concavis, adpressis, ovatis.
Corolla sub-globosa, parva, incarnata, laciniis minutis, erectis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria, receptaculo inserta. Antheræ muticæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen globosum. Stylus cylindricus, inclusus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mensi Augusti, in Februarium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Folium unum, lente auctum.
2. Corolla, et Calyx.
3. Calyx, lente auctus.
4. Stamina a Pistillo diducta.
5. Stamen unum lente auctum.
6. Germen, Stylus, et Stigma, lente aucta.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, within the blossom; the flowers nearly globular, flesh-coloured, and grow from the lower part of the leaves, close to the branches, forming a loose spike; stem thread-shaped, growing zig-zagged; leaves grow by threes, three-sided, tiled, and forming six edges.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem grows zig-zagged, a foot high, and smooth; branches like the stem, grow nearly simple, thread-shaped, and long.
Leaves grow by threes, three-sided, smooth, blunt, forming six edges, and almost upright; the foot-stalks are very short, and pressed to the branches.
Flowers grow in loose spikes, near the ends of the small branches from the lower part of the leaves; the foot-stalks very long, having three small floral leaves near the lower part.
Empalement. Cup of four leaves, which are fringed, concave, pressed to the blossom, and egg-shaped.
Blossom, almost globular, small, and flesh-coloured; the segments small, and upright.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, fixed into the receptacle. Tips beardless, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud globular. Shaft cylindrical, and within the blossom. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from August, till February.
REFERENCE.
1. A Leaf, magnified.
2. The Blossom, and Empalement.
3. The Empalement, magnified.
4. The Chives detached from the Pointal.
5. A Chive, magnified.
6. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, magnified.
