ERICA ignescens.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, sub-exsertis; stylo longè exserto; apice germinis glandulis coronato; corollis clavatis, subpollicaribus, rubro-coccineis; floribus solitariis, sessilibus, terminalibus; foliis quaternis, linearibus, glabris.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis erectus, sesquipedalis, glaber; rami erecti; ramuli virgati, suberecti, filiformes.
Folia quaterna, linearia, glabra, acuta; petiolis brevissimis adpressis.
Flores terminales, solitarii, spicam formantes prope caulis summitatem; pedunculis sere nullis.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis subulatis, ciliatis, apicibus parum reflexis.
Corolla tubulosa, tomentosa, ad basin gibbosa, oris laciniis spathulatis, reflexis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria. Antheræ subexsertæ, muticæ.
Pistillum. Germen ovatum, sulcatum, ad basin apiceque glandulis cinctum. Stylus filiformis, exsertus. Stigma obsoletum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Martio in Junium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Flos. 2. Calyx, auctus. 3. Stamina, et Pistillum, anthera una lente aucta. 4 Germen auctum. 5 Pistillum, magnitudine naturali.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, just without the blossom; shaft a long way without; the top of the seed-bud crowned with glands; blossoms club-shaped, near an inch long, and of a red-scarlet colour; flowers solitary, sitting close on the ends of the branches; leaves grow by fours, linear and smooth.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem upright, a foot and a half high, smooth; branches upright; small branches twiggy, rather upright, thread-shaped.
Leaves grow by fours, linear, smooth, pointed; with very short foot-stalks pressed to the stem.
Flowers terminal, solitary, forming a spike near the summit of the stem; scarcely any footstalks.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, leaflets awl-shaped, fringed, a little reflexed at the ends.
Blossom tubular, downy, gouty at the base, segments of the mouth, spathula shaped and reflexed.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads; tips just without the blossom and beardless.
Pointal. Seed-bud egg-shaped, furrowed, surrounded at the base and top with glands. Shaft thread-shaped, without the blossom. Summit blunt.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from March till June.
REFERENCE.
1. A Flower. 2. The Empalement magnified. 3. The Chives and Pointal, one tip magnified. 4. The Seed-bud magnified. 5. The Pointal natural size.
