Part 88

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

HEATH with beardless tips, within the blossom; the flowers terminate the branches in umbels, forming a spike; blossom swelled at the base, pinched in at the top, and almost covered by a coloured cup, with the border spreading; leaves grow by threes, harsh, three-sided, sharp-pointed, and tiled in six divisions round the stem.

DESCRIPTION.

STEM shrubby, upright, very branching; the larger and smaller branches grow spreading, and upright, and are very much notched.

LEAVES grow by threes, three-sided, smooth, linear, harsh, sharp-pointed, and tiled in six divisions; with very short foot-stalks, pressed to the branches.

FLOWERS grow at the ends of the small branches in umbels, numerous and upright; foot-stalks coloured, the length of the blossoms; two floral leaves upon the middle of the foot-stalk, and the third at its base.

EMPALEMENT. Cup four-leaved, leaflets egg-shaped, pointed, concave, skinny, and coloured, nearly the length of the blossom.

BLOSSOM swelled at the base, narrowed at the mouth, and flesh coloured; segments spreading, pointed, and half egg-shaped.

CHIVES. Threads eight, hair-like, and curved. Tips beardless, within the blossom, and yellow.

POINTAL. Seed-bud roundish, and furrowed. Shaft within the blossom, and thread-shaped. Summit between shield and four-cornered.

Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

Flowers from August till November.

REFERENCE.

1. The Empalement, and Blossom.

2. The Empalement, magnified.

3. The Blossom.

4. The Chives, and Pointal.

5. The Chives detached from the Pointal, one Tip magnified.

6. The Pointal, magnified.

ERICA tubiflora.

CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.

ERICA, antheris muticis, sub-exsertis, floribus sub-solitariis, sessilibus, terminalibus; corollis clavato-cylindricis, curvatis, pubescentibus; foliis quaternis, tenuibus, ciliatis.

DESCRIPTIO.

CAULIS flexibilis, erectus, superne tomentosus; rami sparsi, filiformes, frequentes, villosi; ramuli frequentissimi brevissimi.

FOLIA quaterna, tenuia, obtusa, ciliata, subtus sulcata.

FLORES sessiles, in ramulis terminates, sub-solitarii, patenti, racemum quasi formantes longum.

CALYX. Perianthium tetraphyllum, foliolis spathulatis, ciliatis, pedunculis fere nullis, bracteis tribus adpressis.

COROLLA clavata, curvata, villosa, carnea oris laciniis acutis, reflexis.