ERICA cubica, minor.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, sub-inclusis; stylo exserto; corollis sub-campanulatis, purpureis, oris laciniis patulis, maximis, ovatis, concavis; floribus sub-terminalibus, umbellatis; foliis quaternis, patentibus, obtusis, glabris.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis erectus, teres, ramosus, fruticosas, palmaris; rami et ramuli filiformes, verticillati, patenti.
Folia quaterna, obtusa, reflexa, glabra, nitida; petiolis brevissimis, adpressis.
Flores sub-terminales, sub-umbellati, horizontales; pedunculis longissimis, coloratis, bracteis binis, minutis, concavis, coloratis.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis spathulatis, concavis, coloratis, apicibus viridibus, adpressis.
Corolla sub-campanulata, purpurea; tubo brevissimo; limbo maximo; laciniis concavis, ovatis, expansis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria, longitudine tubi. Antheræ bifidæ, acuminatæ, muticæ.
Pistillum. Germen turbinatum, sulcatum. Stylus filiformis, purpureus, corolla longior. Stigma obsoletum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret ab Augusto, in Novembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Flos, magnitudine naturali. 2. Calyx, valde auctus. 3. Stamina et Pistillum. 4. Stamina, aucta. 5. Pistillum, magnitudine naturali. 6. Idem, valde auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, just without the blossom; shaft without; blossoms nearly bell-shaped, purple, segments of the border spreading, large, egg-shaped, concave; flowers nearly terminate the branches in umbels; leaves grow by fours, spreading, blunt and smooth.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem upright, cylindrical, branching, shrubby, grows a span high; the larger and smaller branches are thread-shaped, grow in whorls and spreading.
Leaves grow by fours, blunt, reflexed, smooth, shining; with very short foot-stalks, pressed to the branches.
Flowers grow near the ends of the branches in umbels and horizontal; foot-stalks very long, coloured, two floral-leaves, small, concave and coloured.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, leaflets spathula-shaped, concave, coloured, with green ends and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom nearly bell-shaped, purple, tube very short; border very large; segments concave, egg-shaped, spreading.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, the length of the tube. Tips two-cleft, tapered, and beardless.
Pointal. Seed-bud top-shaped, furrowed. Shaft thread-shaped, purple, longer than the blossom. Summit obsolete.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from August till November.
REFERENCE.
1. A Flower, natural size. 2. The Cup, very much magnified. 3. The Chives and Pointal. 4. The Chives, magnified. 5. The Pointal, natural size. 6. The same, greatly magnified.
