ERICA Walkeria rubra.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis inclusis, foliis quaternis brevissime petiolatis, umbellis fastigiatis quadrifloris.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, pedalis, flexuoso-erectus, ramis sæpe subfasciculatis, patulis, cortice fusco.
Folia quaterna, patula, linearia, glabra, nuda, nitida, petiolis brevissimis.
Flores quaterni, ad apices ramulorum terminales, in capitulis sessilibus.
Calyx duplex, exterior triphyllus, foliolis subulatis, marginibus membranaceis; interior tetraphyllus, foliolis duplo longioribus, appressis, serrulatolaceris.
Corolla ovato-conica, levigata, nitida, carnea, laciniis subovatis recurvis.
Stamina, filamenta octo, capillaria. Antheræ muticæ, inclusæ, fuscæ.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, subsulcatum; stylus altitudine tubi corollæ; stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Februarii in Junium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx lente auctus. 2. Corolla. 3. Stamina et Pistillum, antherâ unicâ lente auctâ. 4. Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 5. Germen lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips within the blossom, leaves in fours with very short footstalks, and four-flowered level-topped umbels.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot high, flexuose-erect, with branches often a little bundled, rather spreading, and a brown bark.
Leaves in fours, rather spreading, linear, smooth, naked, shining, with very short footstalks.
Flowers in fours, terminal on the lesser branches, in little sessile heads.
Empalement double, the outer three-leaved, with the leaflets awl-shaped, with skinny margins; the inner four-leaved, with leaflets twice as long, pressed to the blossom, and serrulate-torn.
Blossom ovate-cone-shaped, polished, shining, flesh-coloured, with segments nearly egg-shaped and recurved.
Chives, eight hair-like threads. Tips beardless, within the blossom, brown.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, slightly furrowed. Shaft as high as the tube of the blossom; summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from February till June.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement magnified. 2. The Blossom. 3. The Chives and Pointal, with one of the tips magnified. 4. The Pointal, with the summit magnified. 5. The Seed-bud magnified.
