CLASS VIII. ORDER I.] ERICA. 657 



shorter than the corolla, on erect awl-shaped filaments, with long 

 anthers, of two linear cells opening at the apex. Style simple, linear, 

 longer than the stamens, witli an obtuse stigma. 



Habitat. — Dry mountainous heaths of Ireland ; frequent in the wild 

 district of Cunnamara, and the mountainous parts of the county of 

 Mayo. 



Shrub ; flowering in July and August. 



This is a beautiful and highly ornamental hardy shrub, frequently 

 cultivated in gardens, especially the very pretty white flowered variety, 

 which seems to have been first found by J. Kenny, Esq., in the county 

 of Mayo, about fifteen years ago, and has since been observed in 

 several parts of Cunnamara. It was at one time supposed that this 

 species was peculiar to Ireland, but it is found, according to Hooker, 

 in the Western Pyrenees, and in Anjou. 



GENUS VI. ERI'CA.— Linn. Heath. 

 Nat. Ord. Eri'ce^i:. Jdss. 



Gen, Char. Calyx of four pieces. Corolla campanulate, ovate or 

 ventricose, with a four toothed limb. Capsule four celled, four 

 valved, the disseppiments from the middle of the valves. — Name 

 from E^jxw, to break ; in allusion to the brittleness of the branches, 

 or to its reputed virtues of breaking the stone in the bladder. 

 * Anthers ivith awns at the base, inclosed ivithin the corolla. 

 1. E. Te'tralix, Linn. (Fig. 635.) Cross-leaved Heath. Anthers 

 with simgle awns from the base, inclosed within the ovate corolla ; 

 flowers in a terminal head; leaves three or four in a whorl, the margins 

 reflexed, ciliated. 



English Botany, t, 1014.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 226. — Hooker 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 180. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 174. 

 |9. alba. Flowers white. 



y. incana. Leaves, branches, and calyx, clothed with dense soft 

 short close hairs. 



Root fibrous, with creeping underground stems. Stems erect or 

 procumbent at the base, branched, and very leafy, round, woody, 

 smooth below, except being rough, with the scars of the old leaves, 

 hoary above, intermixed with stout glandular hairs. Leaves crowded, 

 four in a whorl, sometimes three, spreading on short footstalks, ovate, 

 with the margins rolled back, so that they have a linear appearance, 

 smooth and green above, with the margins ciliated with bristles, 

 tipped with a small gland, but not unfrequently it is clothed with a 

 soft close woolliness, as the under side always is, and pale. Inflorescence 

 a terminal umbellate head of crowded^oi^ers, each elevated on a short 

 wool'.y stalk. Calyx of four linear segments, downy, and ciliated with 



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