Volume 3 — ERICA Hibbertia.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, sub-inclusis; corollis bi-coloratis, viscosis, sub-cylindricis, curvatis, speciosissimis; foliis senis, confertis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, erectus, pedalis, robustus; ramis patentibus.
Folia sena, obtusa, crassa, conferta, supra plana, subtus sulcata.
Flores sub-terminales, plures, in verticillis simplicibus. Pedunculi longi, colorati; bracteis tribus viridibus.
Calyx tetraphyllus; foliolis ovatis, crassis, adpressis.
Corolla sub-cylindracea, curvata, tenuissime sulcata, micans, viscosa, saturate et læte rubra, sed apicem versus viridis, laciniis superne patentibus.
Stamina octo, capillaria; antheris muticis sub-inclusis.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum. Stylus filiformis, exertus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Julii ad Septembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx lente auctus. 2. Stamina diducta, antherâ unicâ et stigmate lente auctis. 3. Germen lente auctum. 4. Corolla varietatis minoris.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips just within the blossoms; blossom two-coloured, viscous, nearly cylindrical, curved, and very handsome; leaves by sixes, and crowded.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, upright, a foot high, stout; the larger branches are spreading.
Leaves in sixes, obtuse, thick and crowded, smooth on their upper and furrowed on their under surface.
Flowers are numerous, in single whorls, near the summits of the branches. The foot-stalks are long, coloured, and furnished with three green floral leaves.
Empalement four-leaved; leaflets egg-shaped, thick, and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom nearly cylindrical, curved, slightly furrowed, shining and viscous, of a deep bright red, but towards the apex green, with the upper part of the segments spreading.
Chives eight, capillary; tips beardless, and just within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped and furrowed. Shaft thread-shaped, and without the blossom. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of July till September.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement magnified. 2. The Chives detached, one tip and the summit magnified. 3. The Seed-bud magnified. 4. A Blossom of a smaller variety.
