ERICA halicacaba.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, inclusis; floribus subternis, terminalibus; corollis inflatis, amplissimis, palide-luteis; oris laciniis acuminatis, obtusis, conniventibus; foliis ternis, lævibus, trigonis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis robustus, pedalis, valde ramosus; rami divaricati, rigidi; ramuli breves, divaricati, plurimi, tomentosi, oppositi.
Folia terna, subulata, recurvata, trigona, glabra, breviter petiolata.
Flores subterni, nutantes, terminales; pedunculi foliis breviores, nudi.
Calyx. Perianthium duplex, interius tetraphyllum, foliolis, lato-ovatis, concavis, acutis, adpressis, coloratis; exterius tetraphyllum, foliolis minoribus.
Corolla ovata, inflata, maxima, palide-lutea; laciniis erectis, acuminatis, conniventibus, obtusis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo, plana, linearia, curvata. Antheræ muticæ, inclusæ, bifidæ, apice acutæ, dorso concavæ, leviter cohærentiæ.
Pistillum. Germen subglobosum, sulcatum. Stylus filiformis, erectus. Stigma obsolete tetragonum, viride.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Maio in Julium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx. 2. Stamina, et Pistillum. 3. Eodem, filamenta expansa. 4. Stamen unum, lente auctum dorso monstrato. 5. Germen, Stylus et Stigma, lente aucta.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, within the blossom; flowers mostly by threes terminate the branches; blossoms inflated, and very large, of a pale yellow; the segments of the mouth are tapered, blunt ended, and approaching together; leaves grow by threes, smooth and three-sided.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem sturdy, a foot high, very branching; the branches straddle, and are stiff; the smaller branches straddle, are numerous, downy, and opposite.
Leaves grow by threes, awl-shaped, recurved, three-sided, smooth, foot-stalks short.
Flowers grow mostly by threes, nodding, and terminating the branches; the foot-stalks shorter than the leaves, naked.
Empalement. Cup double, the inner four-leaved, leaflets broad egg-shaped, concave, pointed, pressed to the blossom and coloured; the outer three-leaved, the leaflets smaller.
Blossom egg-shaped, inflated, very large, of a pale yellow; segments erect, tapered, approaching, and blunt-ended.
Chives. Eight flat threads, linear, curved. Tips beardless, within the blossom, two-cleft, pointed at the top, concave at the back, slightly adhering together.
Pointal. Seed-bud nearly globular, and furrowed. Shaft thread-shaped, upright. Summit slightly four-cornered, green.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from May, till July.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement. 2. Chives and Pointal. 3. The same, with the threads spread open. 4. A Chive magnified, shewn from the hind part. 5. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, magnified.
