Volume 3 — ERICA Echiiflora.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis inclusis, floribus verticillato-spicatis costatis viscosis, foliis 5, 6, sive septenis rigidis, marginibus asperis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Suffrutex bipedalis, caulis flexuoso-erectus, ramis adscendentibus, verticillatis, ramulis simplicibus, rigidis, irregulariter sulcatis.
Folia irregulariter verticillata, sed sæpius 5, 6, vel septena, horizontalia, vel parum recurvata et flexuosa, apicibus incurvis, rigida, et ad margines asperiuscula, sordide viridia, supra lineâ elevatâ, subtus sulcatâ, petiolis prælongis adpressis in sulculos ramulorum.
Flores fere terminales, in spicam dense verticillati, horizontales, pedunculis pubescentibus, tribracteatis.
Calyx tetraphyllus, foliolis inferne ovatis, sed superne longe acuminatis, viscosis, pubescentibus, subtus sulcatis.
Corolla tubulosa, brevis, inflata, instar Echium, saturate carnea, costata, viscosa, laciniis patentibus, rotundatis.
Stamina octo, capillaria; antheræ muticæ inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, lanuginosum, glandulis 8 nectariferis; stylus filiformis; stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Februarii in Maium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx cum bracteis lente auctus. 2. Corolla. 3. Stamina et Pistillum antherâ unicâ lente auctâ. 4. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 5. Germen lanatum, lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips within the blossom, flowers in whorled spikes ribbed and viscous, leaves in fives, sixes or sevens, and rigid, with rough margins.
DESCRIPTION.
A small shrub, two feet high, the stem flexuose-erect, with ascending, whorled branches, and lesser branches simple, rigid, and irregularly furrowed.
Leaves irregularly whorled, but chiefly in fives, sixes, or sevens, horizontal, or a little recurved and flexuose, with incurved points, rigid, and at the margins roughish, of a dingy green colour, above marked by an elevated line, beneath channelled, with very long foot-stalks pressed into the little furrows of the branchlets.
Flowers almost terminal in a spike densely whorled, horizontal, with peduncles pubescent, and furnished with three floral leaves.
Empalement four-leaved, with the leaflets downwards egg-shaped, but upwardly far acuminated, viscous, pubescent, and furrowed beneath.
Blossom tubular, short, inflated, resembling an Echium, deep flesh-colour, ribbed, and viscous, with spreading, rounded segments.
Chives eight, hair-like; tips beardless, within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, woolly; with eight honey-bearing glands; shaft thread-shaped; summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of February till May.
REFERENCE.
1. The Calyx with the floral leaves magnified. 2. A Blossom. 3. The Chives and Pointal, with one tip magnified. 4. The Seed-bud and Pointal, with the summit magnified. 5. The woolly Seed-bud, magnified.
