ERICA perspicua.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica, antheris muticis, inclusis: floribus cylindricis, villosis, ramulos terminantibus: foliis ternis, linearibus.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, sesquipedalis, erectus, et patens: ramuli numerosi.
Folia terna, linearia, subtus sulcata: petiolis longis, adpressis.
Flores terni, ramulos terminantes: pedunculi colorati, bracteis duabus parvis adpressis: corolla cylindracea et pilosa, ad basin purpurea, et superne alba; laciniis ovatis, patentibus: calycis foliolis lanceolatis, adpressis.
Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum, ad basin nectariis melliferis instructum.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a mense Aprili in Novembrem.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx. 2. Stamina et Pistillum. 3. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath, with beardless tips within the blossom: flowers cylindrical, hairy, and terminating the small branches: leaves by threes, linear.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot and a half high, upright, and spreading: smaller branches numerous.
Leaves by threes, linear, furrowed beneath, with longish footstalks pressed to the branches.
Flowers terminate the smaller branches by threes: peduncles coloured, with two small floral leaves pressed to them: blossom cylindrical and hairy, purple at the base, and white at the upper part: segments of the border ovate and spreading: leaves of the empalement lance-shaped, and pressed to the blossom.
Seed-bud turban-shaped, furrowed, and furnished with honey-bearing nectaries at the base.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of April till November.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement. 2. Chives and Pointal. 3. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified.
This elegant plant resembles the E. Linnæa, and is by most cultivators as well known by the appellation of the old Linneoides as by the specific title of perspicua.
It flowers early in spring, and continues in successive bloom till late in autumn. It was first raised from Cape seed in the Royal gardens at Kew, and flowered in the nursery of Mr. Williams at Turnham Green about the year 1796.
Our figure was taken from a luxuriant specimen in the summer of 1807.
