Volume 3 — ERICA densa.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris basi bicornibus, inclusis; floribus numerosis e foliis porrigentibus; corollis cylindraceis, lucidis; caule erecto, pyramidato.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, sub-bipedalis, erectus, basi ramosus, dein spicam simplicem vel sæpè triplicem pyramidatam formans, ramulis brevibus vestitam.
Folia quaterna et quina, linearia, glabra, acuta; petiolis brevibus.
Flores plures, è foliis horizontaliter emergentes; pedunculis brevissimis, bracteis tribus instructis.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum; foliolis lato-lanceolatis, serrulatis; corollis adpressis.
Corolla cylindrica, oblonga, et lucida, pallidè purpurea vel luteola; limbo rosaceo.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria; antheris basi bicornibus, inclusis.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum, ad basin nectariferum. Stylus filiformis. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Julii in Octobrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx. 2. Corolla. 3. Stamina à Pistillo diducta, antherâ unâ lente auctâ. 4. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with tips two-horned at the base, and within the blossom; flowers numerous, standing straight out from amongst the leaves; blossom cylindrical and shining; stem upright, and pyramidal.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, near two feet high, upright, branching out at the base, then forming a single or often a triple pyramidal spike covered by short branches.
Leaves by fours or fives, linear, smooth, and pointed, with short footstalks.
Flowers many, emerging from the leaves in a horizontal direction; footstalks very short, and furnished with three floral leaves.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved; leaflets broadly lance-shaped, finely sawed, and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom cylindrical, of an oblong form, and shining, of a pale purple or yellowish colour: border rose-coloured.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads: tips two-horned at the base, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, and furrowed, with honey-cups at the base. Shaft thread-shaped. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from July till October.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement. 2. A Blossom. 3. The Chives and Pointal detached from the Pointal, one tip magnified. 4. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified.
