ERICA pellucida rubra.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, inclusis: stylo exerto: foliis quaternis: floribus terminalibus: caule fruticoso.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, pedalis et ultra, ramis numerosis filiformibus.
Folia quaterna, horizontaliter patentia, brevia, sub-linearia, obtusa, marginibus hispidis.
Flores in ramis terminalibus unus vel quatuor, cernui: corolla clavata, curvata, rubella.
Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum, ad basin nectariis melliferis instructum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Augusti ad Novembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Stamina a Pistillo diducta, anthera una lente aucta. 2. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 3. Varietates floribus intermediis.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips, within the blossom: shaft without: leaves grow by fours: flowers terminal: stem shrubby.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot or more high, with numerous thread-shaped branches.
Leaves by fours, spreading horizontally, short, nearly linear, blunt-ended, with bristly margins.
Flowers terminate the branches in one to four flowers, nodding: blossom club-shaped, curved, and of a reddish colour.
Seed-bud turban-shaped, furrowed, and furnished at the base with honey-bearing nectaries.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of August till November.
REFERENCE.
1. The Chives and Pointal, one tip magnified. 2. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 3. Intermediate flower varieties.
This Erica varies considerably from the original species, and yet retains the leading feature of transparency that designates the mother plant. The flowers given with the dissections are from plants nearly allied to the white-flowered pellucida; and had we been then in possession of them, they would have arranged better with that figure; but this opportunity admits of their being made use of as intermediate varieties of flower only.
Our drawing was taken at the Hammersmith nursery in 1816, where it was first raised from seed.
