ERICA elata.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, exsertis; stylo exserto, apice torto; floribus spicatis, maximis, tomentosis, aurantiis; foliis quaternis, sæpe quinis; caule sub-arborescente.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis erectus, sexpedalis et ultra, parum ramosus; ramuli plurimi, brevi, tomentosi.
Folia quaterna, sæpe quina, patentia, glabra, teretiuscula, obtusa; petiolis adpressis.
Flores in apicibus ramorum solitarii, spicam, formantes; pedunculi brevi, bracteis tribus, spathulatis instructi.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis ovatis, concavis, obtusis, adpressis.
Corolla clavata, curvata, tomentosa, maxima, aurantia; oris laciniis revolutis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo, capillaria. Antheræ muticæ, exsertæ, curvatæ.
Pistillum. Germen turbinatum, sulcatum, ad basin glandulosum. Stylus exsersus, apice tortus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Julio, in Septembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx, lente auctus. 2. Stamina, et Pistillum. 3. Stamina a Pistillo diducta; anthera una lente aucta. 4. Pistillum, Stigma lente auctum. 5. Germen, auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, without the blossom; shaft without, twisted at the end; flowers grow in spikes, very large, downy, orange coloured; leaves grow by fours, often by fives; with the stem approaching in size to a tree.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem upright, grows six feet high or more, branching but little; small branches many, short and downy.
Leaves grow by fours, often by fives, spreading, smooth, roundish, obtuse; with the foot-stalks pressed to the stem.
Flowers grow at the ends of the branches solitary, forming a spike; foot-stalks short, having three spatula-shaped floral leaves.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, leaflets egg-shaped, concave, blunt, and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom club-shaped, curved, downy, very large, orange colour; segments of the mouth rolled back.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads. Tips beardless, without the blossom, curved.
Pointal. Seed-bud top-shaped, furrowed, glandular at the base. Shaft without the blossom, twisted at the end. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from July, till September.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement, magnified. 2. The Chives, and Pointal. 3. The Chives detached from the Pointal; one tip magnified. 4. The Pointal, the Summit magnified. 5. The Seed-bud, magnified.
