ERICA fastigiata.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis inclusis, foliis quaternis linearibus glabris; floribus quaternis subsessilibus fastigiatis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, pedalis, flexuosus, cortice fusco, ramulis numerosis patentibus.
Folia quaterna, erecta, linearia, glabra, nitida, petiolis longiusculis.
Flores terminales, quaterni, fastigiati, subsessiles.
Calyx tetraphyllus, duplex, appressus, foliolis ovatis acutis, marginibus membranaceis, irregulariter serrulatis, virescentibus.
Corolla albissima, pellucida, ovato-conica, laciniis subovatis, recurvis.
Stamina, filamenta octo, capillaria. Antheræ muticæ, inclusæ, fuscæ.
Pistillum inclusum. Germen tiaræforme. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Dec. ad Mai.
REFERENTIA.
1. Pagina inferior folii lente aucta. 2. Corolla cum Calyce. 3. Calyx lente auctus. 4. Stamina et Pistillum expansa, antherâ solitariâ lente auctâ. 5. Pistillum cum stigmate lente aucto. 6. Germen auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips within the blossom, leaves in fours linear smooth; flowers in fours nearly sessile in level-topped bunches.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot high, flexuose, with brown bark, and numerous spreading branches.
Leaves in fours, erect, linear, smooth, shining, with longish footstalks.
Flowers terminal, in fours, nearly sitting, forming level-topped bunches.
Empalement four-leaved, double, pressed to the blossom, with leaflets ovate-acute, with skinny, greenish, irregularly serrulated margins.
Blossom very white, pellucid, egg-cone-shaped, with segments nearly egg-shaped, and recurved.
Chives, eight hair-like threads. Tips beardless within the blossom, brown.
Pointal included in the blossom. Seed-bud turban-shaped. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from December to May.
REFERENCE.
1. The under side of a leaf magnified. 2. The Blossom with the Empalement. 3. The Empalement magnified. 4. The Chives and Pointal expanded, with one tip magnified. 5. The Pointal with the summit magnified. 6. The Seed-bud magnified.
