ERICA recurvata.
Reading edition
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Erica antheris muticis, inclusis, stylo exserto: foliis confertis; floribus terminalibus, umbellatis, declinatis; caule fruticoso.
DESCRIPTIO.
Caulis fruticosus, pedalis et ultra: ramulis aggregatis, apice recurvatis.
Folia plerumque sena, sparsa, linearia, obtusa, flexuosa; petiolis longis.
Flores in umbellis terminalibus sex ad novem, declinati.
Corolla oblonga, albicans; oris laciniis rectis; sub-nigris: stylo rubro, exsertissimo.
Germen tiaræforme, sulcatum, ad basin nectariis melliferis instructum: stylo filiformi, longissimo.
Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.
Floret a Mense Aprili in Julium.
REFERENTIA.
1. Calyx. 2. Corolla. 3. Stamina a Pistilla diducta, anthera una lente aucta. 4. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Heath with beardless tips, within the blossom: shaft without: leaves crowded together: flowers terminate the branches in umbels, hanging down: stem shrubby.
DESCRIPTION.
Stem shrubby, a foot or more high; the small branches crowded together, and recurved at the point.
Leaves mostly by sixes, scattered, linear, blunt, and flexuose: footstalks long.
Flowers grow in terminal umbels from six to nine, hanging down.
Blossom oblong, of a whitish colour: segments of the border straight, of a dark-brown colour: shaft red, and very much outside the blossom.
Seed-bud turban-shaped, furrowed, and furnished at the base with honey-bearing nectaries: shaft thread-shaped, and very long.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from the month of April till July.
REFERENCE.
1. The Empalement. 2. The Blossom. 3. The Chives and Pointal, one tip magnified. 4. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified.
Throughout this extensive family there is not one that bears any resemblance to this perfectly new and distinct species; the aggregation of the leaves and branches, joined to the drooping character of its flowers, with long descending pointals that rival the finest purple silk, give it a singularity of appearance that renders it equally interesting with the most splendid species. We have seen it flowering successively from the end of almost every branch. Our figure represents nearly an entire plant, from the nursery of Mr. Lee.
