THE HEATHS 221 



E. ciliaris. The flowers are rich crimson and in 

 large racemes. 



E. Watsoni. This is a supposed natural hybrid 

 between E. ciliaris and E. Tetralix, and was first 

 discovered near Truro by Mr. H. C. Watson. It 

 has rosy-crimson flowers produced in a flatter 

 raceme than that of E. ciliaris. In this character 

 and in other ways it is intermediate between the 

 parents. 



E. Tetralix (the Cross-leaved Heath or Bell 

 Heather). This beautiful Heath grows on most 

 of the moors and mountain-sides throughout the 

 British Isles, being perhaps the most widely spread 

 of all the true Ericas in this country. It is called 

 the " Cross-leaved Heath " because of the arrange- 

 ment of the leaves, which are in whorls of four. 

 It is not very distinct in general appearance from 

 E. ciliaris, being downy and hairy on its young 

 slender leaves, &c. It differs, however, in the 

 arrangement of the flowers, which are in a terminal 

 umbel. The leaves of E. ciliaris are usually in 

 threes at each node, and, of course, its distribution 

 in Britain is much more restricted than that of 

 E. Tetralix. There are other minor points of differ- 

 ence that need not be referred to here. The 

 " Cross-leaved Heath" grows i to ij feet high, 

 and has bright rose-coloured flowers. There is a 

 white-flowered variety (alba), and a very pubescent 

 one named mollis. 



E. Mackaii. This is so closely allied to E. Tetralix 

 that it is regarded merely as a variety by some 



