ERICA Lambertia.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris cristatis, inclusis; corollis subglobosis, inflatis, glabris, albis; oris laciniis ad basin utrinque gibbis, parum imbricatis, erectis; foliolis calycinis patentibus; foliis ternis, acuminatis, reflexis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, subpedalis; rami et ramuli divaricati, suberecti.
Folia quaterna, acuminata, glabra, juniora erecto-patentia, seniora reflexa; petiolis brevibus, adpressis.
Flores in medio ramulorum solitarii vel terni, cernui; pedunculi colorati, longitudine corollarum, bracteis tribus coloratis instructi.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis ovato-acuminatis, coloratis, concavis, patentibus.
Corolla subglobosa, inflata, alba, glabra, magnitudine pisi majoris, laciniis subimbricatis, ovatis, ad basin gibbis, erectis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria. Antheræ cristatæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen subcylindricum, sulcatum. Stylus subinclusus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Maio in Julium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Folium, lente auctum. 2. Flos. 3. Calyx, auctus. 4. Stamina et Pistillum. 5. Stamina, aucta. 6. Pistillum, Stigma diductum, et auctum. 7. Germen, lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with crested tips, within the blossoms, which are nearly globular, swelled out, smooth and white; segments of the border hunched at the base on both fides, slightly lapped and upright; leaflets of the cup spreading; leaves grow by threes, tapered, and bent back.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, near a foot high; large and small branches grow straddling, rather upright.
Leaves grow by fours, tapered, smooth, the younger ones upright-spreading; the older ones reflexed; with short foot-stalks pressed to the stem.
Flowers grow in the middle of the small branches, solitary or by threes, and nodding; foot-stalks coloured, the length of the blossoms, with three coloured floral leaves on them.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved; leaflets egg-shaped, tapered, coloured, concave, and spreading.
Blossom nearly globular, swelled out, white, smooth, the size of a large pea; segments a little tiled, egg-shaped, hunched at the base, upright.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads. Tips crested, within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud nearly cylindric, furrowed. Shaft just within the blossom. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from May, till July.
REFERENCE.
1. A Leaf, magnified. 2. A Flower. 3. The Empalement, magnified. 4. The Chives and Pointal. 5. The Chives, magnified. 6. The Pointal; the Summit detached and magnified. 7 The Seed-bud, magnified.
