248 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Order Ericace^. 



Flowers (in South Africa) 4-parted, gamopetalous. Stamens 

 4-8, anthers usually opening by pores, often horned at base 



in the wide-mouthed flowers. Ovary 

 1-4-8-celled with one or many seeds. 

 Fruit a capsule. A gland below the 

 ovary secretes honey. When bees visit the 

 flower they touch the hanging stamens, 

 or their horns, and are dusted from the 

 pores. The stigma, being longer, is 

 touched first. The horns also prevent 

 the entrance into the flower of unwelcome 

 visitors. The heaths are small shrubs 

 with needle-shaped leaves often rolled 

 backward to form an air-chamber on the under side. 



Fig. 250. — Floral diagram 

 of Erica. (From Edmonds 

 and Marloth's " Elemen- 

 tary Botany for South 

 Africa.") 



Fig. 251. — Erica massoni. 



; Stamens 8 — 



Macnabia. — Calyx much longer than the deeply lobed 

 corolla. Style hooked. Flowers white, leaves by threes. . 



