ERICA conserta.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica antheris muticis, subinclusis floribus consertissime capitatis erectis, terminalibus, globosis; caule simplicissimo, strictissimo, robusto; foliis quaternis, subulatis, glabris, rigidis, senioribus retrofractis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis simplex, erectus, robustus, bipedalis; ramuli brevi, horizontales, verticillati.
Folia quaterna, subulata, rigida, glabra, mucronata; seniora retrofracta; juniora erecta, subtus tenuissime sulcata, petiolis brevibus adpressis.
Flores terminales, in apice ramulorum consertissimi capitati, erecti, plurimi, sæpe duodecim; pedunculi brevissimi, bracteæ tres: duæ ovatæ adpressæ, infima subulata, triplo longior.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis subulatis, membranaceis, apicibus distantibus.
Corolla globosa, glabra, subalbida, laciniis limbi obtusis, suberectis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria. Antheræ muticæ, subinclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen globosum, sulcatum. Stylus filiformis exsertus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret ab Octobre in Februarium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Flos. 2. Calyx, lente auctus. 3. Stamina, et Pistillum. 4. Idem, lente aucta. 5. Germen, et Pistillum, Stigma diducta lente auctum. 6. Germen, auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath with beardless tips, just within the blossom; flowers crowded together in heads, upright, terminal and globular; stem quite simple, very straight and stout; leaves grow by fours, awl-shaped, smooth, stiff, the older ones appearing broke back.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem simple, upright, stout, two feet high; small branches short, horizontal, and growing in whorls.
Leaves grow by fours, awl-shaped, stiff, smooth, sharp pointed, the old ones appearing broke-back, the younger upright, furrowed slightly beneath, with short foot-stalks pressed to the stem.
Flowers terminal, crowded very close together at the ends of the small branches, in heads, upright, a good many, often twelve; foot-stalks very short, three floral leaves, two pressed to the stem and egg-shaped, the lower awl-shaped, twice as long.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, leaflets awl-shaped, skinny, away from the blossom at the ends.
Blossom globular, smooth, whitish, the segments of the border blunt and nearly upright.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads. Tips beardless, just within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud globular, furrowed. Shaft thread-shaped, without the blossom. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from October till February.
REFERENCE.
1. A flower. 2. The Empalement, magnified. 3. The Chives, and Pointal. 4. The same, magnified. 5. The Seed-bud and Pointal, the Summit detached, magnified. 6. The Seed-bud, magnified.
