Part 69

LEAVES grow by threes, three-sided, smooth, blunt, forming six edges, and almost upright; the foot-stalks are very short, and pressed to the branches.

FLOWERS grow in loose spikes, near the ends of the small branches from the lower part of the leaves; the foot-stalks very long, having three small floral leaves near the lower part.

EMPALEMENT. Cup of four leaves, which are fringed, concave, pressed to the blossom, and egg-shaped.

BLOSSOM, almost globular, small, and flesh-coloured; the segments small, and upright.

CHIVES. Eight hair-like threads, fixed into the receptacle. Tips beardless, and within the blossom.

POINTAL. Seed-bud globular. Shaft cylindrical, and within the blossom. Summit four-cornered.

Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

Flowers from August, till February.

REFERENCE.

1. A Leaf, magnified.

2. The Blossom, and Empalement.

3. The Empalement, magnified.

4. The Chives detached from the Pointal.

5. A Chive, magnified.

6. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, magnified.

ERICA purpurea.

CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.

ERICA, antheris muticis, exsertis; corollis verticillatis, tubulosis, a basi incurvata, sensim ampliatis; foliis subsenis.

DESCRIPTIO.

CAULIS fruticosus, erectus, bipedalis, pubescens, basi simplicissimus, dein verticillatim ramosus, ramis simplicibus, adscendentibus.

FOLIA subsena, linearia, recurvato patentia, supra plana, subtus revoluta, acuta, rigida, brevissimis adpressis petiolis.

FLORES verticillati, subterminales, dilute purpurei, pedunculis brevissimis instructi.

CALYX. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis erectis, ovato-oblongis, acuminatis; bracteis binis adpressis.

COROLLA tubulosa, basi incurvata, sensim versus apicem dilatata; ore quadrilobo æquali patente.

STAMINA. Filamenta octo capillaria, receptaculo inserta. Antheræ muticæ, exsertæ, bipartitæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen turbinatum. Stylus filiformis, filamentis longior. Stigma tetragonum.

Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.

Floret a mensi Julii ad Decembrem.