Volume 3 — ERICA decora.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, inclusis; floribus axillaribus, spicatis; corollis campanulatis, costatis, saturate carneis, dependentibus; foliis senis, arcuatis, obtusis; caule gracili.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, sesquipedalis, sub-erectus, gracilis; rami et ramuli verticillati.
Folia sena, linearia, obtusa, arcuata, petiolis longis adpressis.
Flores spicati, laxi, in medio ramulorum, axillares, dependentes; pedunculi longi, colorati.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum; foliolis lanceolatis, bracteis tribus calycibus adpressis.
Corolla campanulata, costata, saturate carnea; oris laciniis reflexis.
Stamina. Filamenta octo linearia; antheræ muticæ, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen coronæforme, pubescens, album, ad basin nectariferum. Stylus subinclusus, filiformis. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Novembris in Januarium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx lente auctus. 2. Corolla. 3. Stamina lente aucta. 4. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 5. Germen lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, within the blossom; the flowers grow from the footstalks of the leaves in spikes; blossom bell-shaped, ribbed, of a deep flesh colour, and hanging down; leaves by sixes, bowed, and blunt-ended; stem slender.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot and a half high, nearly upright, and slender; the large and small branches grow in whorls.
Leaves by sixes, linear, blunt, and bowed, with long footstalks pressed to the stem.
Flowers grow in loose spikes about the middle of the branches from the footstalks of the leaves, and hang down; footstalks long, and coloured.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved; leaflets lance-shaped, with three floral leaves pressed to the cup.
Blossom bell-shaped, ribbed, and of a deep flesh colour; the segments of the border are bent back.
Chives. Eight linear threads; tips beardless, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud crown-shaped, downy, and white, with honey-cups at the base. Shaft just within the blossom, and thread-shaped. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from November till January.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement magnified. 2. A Blossom. 3. The Chives magnified. 4. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 5. Seed-bud magnified.
