Chapter IX. 



PURPLE HEATHER: ALSO BLUE LOVE. 



The two plants that give their names to this chapter 

 have no superficial resemblance but for all that they 

 belong to closely-allied families. Purple Heather, popu- 

 larly so called, is never purple, or has only a slight 

 resemblance to that colour, and its claim to be called 

 Heather is founded upon the slight fact that its size makes 

 it look something like a Heath, and not that it is any rela- 

 tion. It is also called Purple Boronia, and for no better 

 reason. This plant belongs to a small family of shrubs 

 that appears to belong strictly to Australia, and even there 

 does not extend to the warmer parts. It is rather close 

 to the Pittosporum family; also to the Milfcworts, a 

 common English name applied to the group to which Blue 

 Love belongs. Popular names are not always more under- 

 standable than scientific ones. If we insisted upon using 

 the title Milkwort, it would be meaningless to us except 

 indicating to those with a knowledge of English plants 

 that our Love creeper is of the same family. 



Purple Heather belongs to the genus Tetratheca. Why 

 it is so called will be soon explained. We have about 

 three species of Tetratheca in Tasmania. It seems obscure 

 to say about three species, but we must remember species 

 is not a fixed quantity or unit, but simply the nearest we 

 think we can get. Even botanists do not all think alike; 

 the result is they do not all agree as to specific limits. 

 Some reduce our forms to two; others divide them into 

 six. The flower is the same in structure and dispersal in 

 all. There is one in each of the upper leaf axils. The stalk 

 is slender, and the thalamus is not enlarged, so the. outer 

 parts are inserted in regular succession close below the 

 ovary. The calyx is formed of four small, separate sepals. 

 The corolla is much larger and, except in dwarf forms, 

 is about half an inch across. The petals are four in num- 

 ber, are free from one another, and alternate with the 

 sepals. They are usually pink or pinkish mauve, but 

 occasionally white. The stamens are of especial interest. 

 There are eight arranged in a single row. Each is quite 

 free from union with its fellows, but thej stand upright 

 in a circle round the pistil, and being dark, give a 

 marked colour to the centre of the flower. The filament 



