Volume 3 — ERICA Blandfordia.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris aristatis, inclusis; floribus tubulosis, brevissimis, sessilibus, luteis, in ramulis terminalibus; foliis quaternis, linearibus, glabris; caulis fruticosus, gracilis, erectus.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis sesquipedalis, gracilis, fruticosus, erectus.
Folia quaterna, linearia, obtusa, glabra, supra plana, subtus sulcata.
Flores plures, sessiles, in ramulis terminales, plerumque bini, horizontaliter siti; ad apices ramorum flores conferti in ramulis brevissimis, spicam formantes.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum; foliolis lato-ovatis, apice virescentibus, infra pallidioribus; bracteis duabus adpressis.
Corolla urceolata, lutea, glabra, ore arctata: laciniis rotundatis, reflexis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo, capillaria; antheræ aristatæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum. Stylus filiformis. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Martio in Junium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx lente auctus. 2. Corolla. 3. Stamina et Pistillum. 4. Stamen unicum lente auctum. 5. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 6. Germen lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with bearded tips within the blossom; flowers are tubular, very short, sessile, of a yellow colour, and terminating the smaller branches; leaves by fours, linear, and smooth: stem shrubby, slender, and upright.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem a foot and a half high, slender, shrubby, and upright.
Leaves by fours, linear, obtuse, and smooth, flat on the upper surface, and furrowed beneath.
Flowers numerous, sessile, and terminating the smaller branches, mostly by twos, in a horizontal direction; near the end of the larger branches; the flowers are crowded together on very short branches, forming a spike.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved; leaflets are broadly egg-shaped, greenish at the point, and paler beneath: with two floral leaves pressed to them.
Blossom jar-shaped, yellow, smooth, and narrowed at the mouth; the segments are roundish, and reflexed.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads; tips bearded, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, and furrowed. Shaft thread-shaped. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from March till June.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement magnified. 2. A Blossom. 3. The Chives and Pointal. 4. A Chive magnified. 5. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 6. Seed-bud magnified.
