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 Erica Ventricosa. Porcelain Heath, 



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Go/} and Order. 



OcTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



Generic Character. 

 Calyx 4-phyllus. Corolla 4-fida. Ft lament a receptaculo inferta. 

 Anther* bifida?. Cap/. 4-locularis. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 



ERICA ventrico/a mutica, foliis quaternis trigonis ciliatis, 

 floribus ventricofis glabris. Thunb. Prod. Cap. p. 71. 



Of the many new Heaths which have been introduced within 

 thefe few years, none have excited greater admiration than the 

 prefent one j its bloffoms, though they cannot boaft the 

 grandeur or richnefs of colour fo flrikingly difplayed in the 

 cerinthoidcSy and fome others, pleafe more on a near infpection, 

 they have indeed a delicacy and beauty which are indefcribable; 

 we have given to it the Englifh name of Porcelain Heath, as 

 the flowers have fomewhat the appearance of porcelain, or 

 enamel. 



This fpecies has been introduced from the Cape, fince the 

 publication of the Hortus Kewen/is ; we faw it in blofTom many 

 years fince, in the Royal Garden at Kew ; feveral varieties of it 

 have been raifed from Cape feeds by Mr. Loddiges, Nurfery- 

 man, at Hackney, differing in the hairinefs of their leaves, fize 

 and colour of their bloffoms ; but the belt variety we have i'cen is 

 the one here reprefented. 



In point of form the bloffoms refemble thofe of the avipu'- 

 lacea, but they are not fo large, and have no vifcidity ; tne 

 fligma is enclofed within the mouth of the flower, and the 

 peduncles are ufually naked ; in fome very luxuriant fpecimens 

 we have obferved a fcale or two on them. 



It is with Heaths, in fome refpefts, as it is with fruit trees; 

 one feafon they will produce bloffoms molt abundantly, they 

 feem indeed to overblow, themfelves, the next few appear ; in 

 different years the bloffoms of the fame heath will vary alfo 

 confiderably in fize. The ventrico/a is a free blower, and will 

 in general produce flowers in abundance, for two or three 

 months, from June to September. 



Thofe who poffefs the knack of Unking heaths, raife it by 

 cuttings without much difficulty. 



