ERICA tenella.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica antheris basi bicornibus, inclusis; corollis ventricosis, laciniis suberectis; floribus erectis, capitatis, terminalibus, dilute-purpureis; foliis quaternis, linearibus, minutis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis spithamæus, erectus, fruticosus; rami, filiformes, virgati, divaricati; ramuli superiores verticillati, frequentissimi.
Folia quaterna, tenuia, linearia, glabra, parum recurvata; petiolis minutis, adpressis.
Flores in ramulis terminales, congesti, capitati, numerosi, suberecti; pedunculi capillares, longitudine florum, bracteis tribus, linearibus instructi.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis, lanceolatis, glabris, adpressis.
Corolla ventricosa, parva, pallide purpurea, ore parum arctata, laciniis ovatis, erecto-patentibus.
Stamina. Filamenta octo, capillaria, brevia. Antheræ bicornutæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen sub-globosum, sulcatum, ad basin nectariferum. Stylus filiformis, erectus, inclusus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Octobris, in Martium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx, et Corolla. 2. Calyx, lente auctus. 3. Stamina, et Pistillum. 4. Stamen unum, lente auctum. 5. Pistillum, lente auctum. Obs. Afinis E. comosæ.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with tips two-horned at the base and within the blossom; blossoms bellied, segments nearly upright, flowers upright, grow in small heads, terminating the branches, and light purple coloured; leaves grow by fours, are linear and small.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem about a span high, upright and shrubby, branches twiggy and straddling; the upper small branches grow in whorles, and are very numerous.
Leaves grow by fours, are thin, linear, smooth, a little turned back, with small foot-stalks, pressed to the branches.
Flowers terminate the branches in clustered small heads, are very numerous, and grow nearly upright; foot-stalks hair-like, the length of the flowers, having three floral leaves on them.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, leaflets lance-shaped, smooth and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom bellied, small, of a pale purple, the mouth a little narrowed, segments egg-shaped, between upright and spreading.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, short. Tips two horned and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud nearly globular and furrowed, having honey-cups at the base. Shaft thread-shaped, upright, within the blossom. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of October, till March.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement, and Blossom. 2. The Empalement, magnified. 3. The Chives, and Pointal. 4. A Chive, magnified. 5. The Pointal, magnified. Obs. It is allied to the E. comosa.
