[ 3^3 ] 

 Erica Ampullacea. Flask Heath. 



Oafs and Order* 



OCTANDRIA Mo NOG YN I A. 



Generic ChafaEler. 

 Cal. 4-phyllus. Cor. 4-fida. ViLunenta receptaculo inferta. 

 Antbtra apice bifidae, pertufa;. Gap/. 4-locularis, ^-valvis, 

 polyfperma. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 

 ERICA ampullacea foliis ciliatis mucfonatis, bra6tatis coloratis, 

 floribus umbellatis fubquaternis erecto-patentibus, 

 ityio exferto. 



The Erica here figured has ibme affinity in the form of its 

 flowers to the E. ventricofa, as thefe in their fhape refemble a 

 ilafk or bottle, efpecially of that kind in which water is ufually 

 kept, we have named it ampullacea ; it is of very modern in- 

 troduction. 



On the nth of June 1784, we had the pleafurc to fee a 

 fmall plant of this fpecies in flower, with Mr. Williams, 

 Nurferyman, Turnham-Green-, an unwearied and ingenious 

 cultivator of this beautiful tribe of plants in particular, the 

 richnefs of whofe collection will appear in the fubfequent lift; 

 by him it was raifed from Cape feeds, though not more than 

 the height of ten inches, it produced eighteen branches, molt 

 of which put forth flowers at their fummits ; We counted fixty- 

 fix bloffoms on this fmall plant. 



The leaves are Abort, linear, fomewhat triangular, rigid, 

 edged with fine crooked hairs, very vifible when magnified, 

 and terminating in a mucro or point, on the older branches 

 recurved and moftly eight-rowed ; each branch is ufually ter- 

 minated by four or five flowers, at firfl growing clofely to- 

 gether, and covered fo flrongly with a glutinous fubftance, 

 as to look as if varnifhed, and which is fo adheiive as to catch 

 ants and fmall flies ; as the flowering advances, they feparate 

 more widely from each other, and finally a young branch 

 grows out of the centre from betwixt them ; the true calyx is 

 compofed of four lanceolate leaves, fitting dole to and glued 

 as it were to the corolla; befides thefe, there are feveral other 

 leaves, which might be miiraken for thofe of the calyx, but 

 ■which may with more propriety be called Bra&eEe or Floral- 

 leaves ; fome of thefe, like the calyx, are wholly red, others 

 red and green mixed together, and broader than the leaves of 



the 



