116 erica:. [CI. 9. 



compose a beautiful and distinct Order, termed Epa- 

 cridea, Prodr. N. Holl. v. 1. 535. They occu- 

 py the same place at New Holland, that the vast 

 genus Erica does at the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 are distinguished by the simple structure of their An- 

 thers, first noticed by Mr. Brown. Each Anther bursts 

 longitudinally in front, opposite to it's dorsal point of 

 insertion, and then becomes a single flat valve, the 

 rather large Pollen being borne by a narrow recep- 

 tacle, or partition, which originally divided the An- 

 ther into 2 cells. The Germen has usually five scales, 

 sometimes a notched ring, at the base. Stigma capi- 

 tate, sometimes notched or toothed. Fruit either a 

 Drupa, Berry, or Capsule, rarely of only 1 cell. Stem 

 shrubby, with rigid, alternate, mostly entire, Leaves, 

 and elegant white or crimson, rarely blue, Flowers, 

 variously disposed, often drooping. 



Itea, including Cyrilla, has Anthers of 2 cells, 

 bursting from top to bottom, at 2 opposite sides, so 

 that, to say nothing of the great difference of habit, 

 it cannot be brought hither. 



The partitions of the Capsule are in some of the ge- 

 nus Erica formed from the inflexed edges of the valves, 

 as in the Rhodoclendra, Ord. 50; in others proceeding 

 from the centre of each valve. This difference exists 

 in species otherwise so nearly akin, that no person has 

 ventured to divide the genus by it, any more than by 

 various appendages to the Anthers, which, however 

 remarkable, afford no sound generic distinctions. 



