ERICA cruciformis.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris bicornibus, inclusis: floribus quaternis, tubulosis, brevibus: foliis quaternis, brevibus, linearibus: caule fruticoso, erecto.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis pedalis, fruticosus: ramulis numerosis, confertis.
Folia quaterna, linearia obtusa, glabra, supra plana, subtus sulcata.
Flores quaterni, cruciformes: ramulis plerumque terminalibus: corolla urceolata, aurantia, lucida: laciniis rotundatis, reflexis.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Junio ad Augustum.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx. 2. Stamen unicum lente auctum. 3. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 4. Germen lente auctum. 5. Flores varietatum duarum.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with tips two-horned, within the blossom: flowers grow by fours, tubular, short and linear: stem shrubby and upright.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem a foot high, and shrubby: the smaller branches numerous and crowded.
Leaves by fours, linear obtuse, and smooth, flat on the upper surface, and furrowed beneath.
Flowers grow by fours, cross-shaped, mostly terminating the smaller branches: blossom jar-shaped, of a gold colour, and shining: segments of the border rounded and reflexed.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of June till August.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement. 2. A Chive magnified. 3. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 4. Seed-bud magnified. 5. Flowers of two varieties.
Our drawing of this handsome little Erica was made at the nursery of Mr. Lee in the summer of 1819, where it had been recently raised from seed, with two others of a similar description too nearly allied to require a separate figure. We have therefore added a flower of each, and hardly knew to which of the three plants to give the preference. But as the specific title cruciformis was given to them, we selected that for our figure whose inflorescence bore out the name with the most uniformity.
