Volume 3 — ERICA racemifera.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris aristatis, inclusis; floribus racemosis; corollis sub-globosis, purpureis; foliis senis, oblique verticillatis, confertis, tremulis.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, sub-pedalis. Rami virgati, sub-simplices.
Folia sena, linearia, conferta, oblique verticillata, tremula.
Flores sub-terminales, racemosi, cernui, plerumque duo, pedunculis longissimis.
Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum; foliolis lanceolatis, bracteis tribus adpressis.
Corolla sub-globosa, purpurea; oris laciniis erecto-patentibus.
Stamina. Filamenta octo, receptaculo inserta; antheris aristatis, inclusis.
Pistillum. Germen tiaræforme. Stylus filiformis. Stigma tetragonum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Aprili ad Junium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Umbella Florum. 2. Calyx lente auctus. 3. Stamina et Pistillum. 4. Anthera lente aucta. 5. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 6. Germen lente auctum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with bearded tips, within the blossom; flowers grow in clusters; blossom nearly globe-shaped, and purple; leaves by sixes, obliquely whorled, crowded, and tremulous.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, near a foot high. Branches twiggy, and nearly simple.
Leaves by sixes, linear, crowded, irregularly whorled, and tremulous.
Flowers nearly terminate the branches in clusters, hanging down, mostly two together, with very long foot-stalks.
Empalement four-leaved; leaflets lance-shaped, with three floral leaves pressed to the foot-stalk.
Blossom nearly globular, purple; the segments of the border between erect and spreading.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads fixed to the receptacle; tips bearded, and within the blossom.
Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped. Shaft thread-shaped. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of April till June.
REFERENCE.
1. An Umbel of Flowers. 2. The Empalement magnified. 3. The Chives and Pointal. 4. A Chive magnified. 5. The Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 6. The Seed-bud magnified.
