ERICA Sebana spicata.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, exertis, longissimis. Corolla clavata, incurvata, sulcata, saturate coccinea. Flores terni, terminales, conferti, formantes spicam longam. Caulis simplex, elongatus.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis erectus, bipedalis. Rami pauci, ramulis brevissimis tecti, conferti.
Folia terna, linearia, arcuata, conferta, sub-trigona, reflexa, apice acuta, brevissime petiolata.
Flores terni, in apice ramulorum penduli; pedunculis brevissimis.
Calyx. Perianthium duplex; exterius triphyllum, ovatum, membranaceum, adpressum, imbricatum; interius tetraphyllum, foliolis majoribus.
Corolla clavata, incurvata, saturate coccinea, sulcata; laciniis limbi obtusis, incurvis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo, linearia; antheræ muticæ, exertæ, penicillatæ, longissimæ, lineares, attenuatæ in filamenta.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum, basi glandulis melliferis instructum. Stylus filiformis, staminibus paulo brevior. Stigma obsolete tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Septembri ad Decembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx et Corolla. 2. Calyx lente auctus. 3. Stamina et Pistillum, anthera una lente aucta. 4. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 5. Germen lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, without the blossom, and very long. Blossom club-shaped, and turned inwards, furrowed, and of a deep scarlet-colour. Flowers grow mostly by threes, terminating the branches, crowded together, and forming a long spike. Stem simple, and lengthened out.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem upright, grows two feet high. Branches few, covered with short branches, and crowded together.
Leaves by threes, linear, curved, and crowded, nearly three-sided, reflexed, sharp-pointed, with very small foot-stalks.
Flowers grow by threes, at the ends of the small branches hanging down, with foot-stalks very short.
Empalement. Cup double; the outer three-leaved, egg-shaped, skinny, pressed to the inner ones, and tiled; the inner four-leaved, with larger leaflets.
Blossom club-shaped, turned inwards, of a deep scarlet, and furrowed; the segments of the mouth are blunt, and turned inwards.
Chives. Eight linear flat threads; tips beardless, without the blossom, pencilled, long, linear, and tapering into threads.
Pointal. Seed-vessel turban-shaped, furrowed, and furnished at the base with honey-bearing glands. Shaft thread-shaped, a little shorter than the chives. Summit slightly four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from September till December.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement and Blossom. 2. The Empalement magnified. 3. The Chives and Pointal, one tip magnified. 4. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 5. The Seed-bud magnified.
