ERICA hirta.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris aristatis, inclusis; stylo exserto, corolla clavata, pollicaris; floribus terminalibus, ternis bicoloribus; bracteis calyciformibus, hirtis; foliis ternis, linearibus; obtusis, semicylindricis, hirtis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis erectus, ramosus, bipedalis, villosus; rami et ramuli oppositi, suberecti.
Folia terna, linearia, obtusa, hirta, supra rotundata, subtus sulcata, recta, patentia, petiolis, brevibus adpressis.
Flores terminales, terni, cernui; pedunculi brevissimi; bracteæ 3, lanceolatæ, ciliatæ, longitudine calycis adpressæ.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis lanceolatis, ciliatis, dorso sulcatis.
Corolla clavata, sub apice ventricosa, pollicaris profundè rubro purpureo, apice virescens; ore parum arctato, laciniis obtusis, erectis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria. Antheræ aristatæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen subovatum, apice truncatum, sulcatum. Stylus filiformis, exsertus. Stigma, subpeltatum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Januario in Aprilem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Flos. 2. Calyx, auctus. 3. Pistillum, Stigma diducta auctum. 4. Stamina et Pistillum, anthera sena diducta et aucta. 5. Germen, auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with bearded tips, within the blossoms, shaft without; blossom club-shaped, an inch long; flowers terminal by threes, two-coloured; floral leaves of the shape of the cups and hairy; leaves grow by threes, linear, blunt, half cylindrical, hairy.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem upright, branching, two feet high, hairy; large and small branches opposite, nearly upright.
Leaves grow by threes, linear, blunt, hairy, rounded above, furrowed beneath, straight, spreading; short foot-stalks pressed to the branches.
Flowers terminate the branches by threes, nodding; very short foot-stalks; three floral leaves, lance-shaped, fringed, the length of the cup and pressed to it.
Empalment. Cup four-leaved; leaflets lance-shaped, fringed, furrowed at the back.
Blossom club-shaped, bellied near the end, an inch long, of a red purple, greenish at the end; a little narrowed at the mouth, segments blunt, upright.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads. Tips bearded, within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud nearly egg-shaped, appearing cut off at the end and furrowed. Shaft thread-shaped, without the blossom. Summit nearly shield-shaped.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from January, till April.
REFERENCE.
1. A Flower. 2. The Empalement, magnified. 3. The Pointal, the Summit detached, magnified. 4. The Chives and Pointal, one Tip detached, and magnified. 5. The Seed-bud, magnified.
