ERICA gracilis.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris inclusis basi bicornibus, corollis subquaternis subglobosis terminalibus, foliis linearibus erectis itidem quaternis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, sesquipedalis, suberectus, ramulis filiformibus, pergracilibus, numerosis.
Folia quaterna, linearia, tenuia, glabra, erecta, petiolis minutis, adpressis.
Flores plerumque quaterni in capitulis terminalibus, pedunculis capillaribus, corollâ longioribus, bracteis tribus, linearibus, instructis.
Calyx tetraphyllus, foliolis ovato-lanceolatis, coloratis, glabris, adpressis.
Corolla parva, subglobosa, læte purpurea, ore paululum contracta, laciniis subrotundis, erecto-patulis.
Stamina octo capillaria, brevia; antheræ bicornes, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, purpureum, ad basin nectariferum; stylus filiformis, flexuosus, inclusus, purpurascens; stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Februarii in Maium; et iterum ab Augusto ad Octobrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Inferior pars Folii lente aucta. 2. Calyx et Corolla. 3. Calyx lente auctus. 4. Stamina et Pistillum Corollâ diducta, antherâ unicâ lente auctâ. 5. Pistillum et Germen lente aucta.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with tips two-horned at the base included within the blossom, blossoms nearly in fours somewhat globose and terminal, leaves linear erect and likewise in fours.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot and a half high, nearly erect, thread-shaped, very slender, and numerous.
Leaves in fours, linear, thin, smooth, erect, with minute foot-stalks pressed to the branches.
Flowers chiefly in fours in terminal heads, with capillary foot-stalks which are longer than the blossom, and furnished with three linear floral leaves.
Empalement four-leaved, with the leaflets egg-lance-shaped, coloured, smooth, and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom small, rather globose, bright purple, with the mouth a little contracted, with its segments roundish, and between erect and spreading.
Chives eight hair-like threads; tips two-horned, within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, purple, having honey-cups at the base; shaft thread-shaped, flexuose, within the blossom, purplish; summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of February to May; and again from August to October.
REFERENCE.
1. The under-side of a Leaf magnified. 2. The Empalement and Blossom. 3. The Empalement magnified, 4. The Chives and Pointal detached from the Blossom, with one tip magnified. 5. The Pointal and Seed-bud magnified.
