Volume 3 — ERICA prægnans.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris inclusis, basi bicornibus: floribus terminalibus, fasciculatis: corollis urceolatis, inflatis: foliis quaternis, linearibus: caulis dumosus.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, pedalis et ultra, teres et dumosus.
Folia quaterna, linearia, acuta, basi recurvata, apice adscendentia, ciliata, nitida.
Flores in ramulis terminales, fasciculati: pedunculi purpurei, basi bracteis binis parvis oppositis instructi.
Calyx tetraphyllus, foliolis lanceolatis, acutis, adpressis.
Corolla magna, inflata, ovata, glabra, nitida, ore arctata, quod pallide carneum est: limbi laciniis æqualibus, patentibus, carneis, in centro saturate rubris.
Stamina. Filamenta octo capillaria. Antheræ basi bicornes, inclusæ.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum, ad basin nectariferum. Stylus filiformis, inclusus. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Aprili in Augustum.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx. 2. Stamina et Pistillum, antherâ unicâ lente auctâ. 3. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 4. Germen lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with tips within the blossom, and two-horned at their base: flowers terminal in bunches: blossoms pitcher-shaped, and swelled: leaves by fours, and linear: stem bushy.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot or more high, round and bushy.
Leaves by fours, linear, pointed, with a recurved base and an ascending point, ciliated, and shining.
Flowers terminate the branches in bunches: footstalks purple, and furnished with two small opposite floral leaves at their base.
Empalement four-leaved: leaflets lance-shaped, pointed, and pressed to the blossom.
Blossom large, swelled, of an ovate form, smooth, and shining; narrowed at the mouth, which is of a pale flesh-colour: the segments of the border are equal, spreading, flesh-coloured, and of a deep red in the centre.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads. Tips two-horned at the base, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, furrowed, with honey-cups at their base. Shaft thread-shaped, and within the blossom. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from April till August.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement. 2. The Chives and Pointal, one tip magnified. 3. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 4. Seed-bud magnified.
