342 



Plants and tlicir Ways in South Africa 



Fni. 321. — Floral dia- 

 gram of l^rica. (From 

 l-"dnionds and Mar- 

 loth's " I'^lementary 

 Botany for South 

 Africa".) 



Corolla hypogytious or (in Lageiiocarpiis) arising from the 

 middle of the ovary, contorted or valvate in bud ; sympetal- 

 ous, of 2-5 (6-10) lobes or free, of 3-7 petals. 



Stamens 3-10 (rarely more), obdiplostemonous, frequently 

 horned or bearded at base, often dehiscing by terminal pores 

 or lateral slits. The anthers are in- 

 cluded within the corolla or they may 

 be exserted. 



When bees visit the flower they touch 

 the hanging stamens, or their horns, and 

 are dusted from the pores. 'Jhe stigma, 

 being longer, is touched first. The horns 

 also prevent the entrance into the flower 

 of unwelcome visitors. 



Nineteen of the fifty-six world's 

 genera are described as belonging to 

 South Africa. All are mentioned as 

 "heath-like '' (except Hexastemon which differs in being white, 

 woolly). The heaths are usually shrubs rigid with reduced 

 narrow rigid linear leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, with 

 revolute margins, connate or free from the under side, forming 

 a channel beneath. 



Miss Ternitz has found that the fungi which grow on the roots of 

 Ericaceae forming mycorhiza, appropriate free nitrogen. It is difficult 

 to transplant heaths successfully, which may be in part due to the fact 

 that the appropriate fungus is lacking. 



Azalea, Ji/iodi)deiidr(>?i and Lauz-ft, northern representatives 

 of this order, have broad leaves. 



Stii/iif/n' 8 — rivrtr 6-7. 



Erica. — Calyx equally 4-parted, usually much shorter 

 than the corolla. Seeds light and usually very numerous 

 rarely 2 in a cell. A large genus of over 400 species. Tlic 

 flowers are beautiful and of a great variety of shapes and 

 colours. Inflorescence terminal or in upper axils ; pedicels 

 i-flowered; bracts 3, rarely fewer or wanting. 



The finest heaths are found at Riversdale and Caledon. .V few are 

 found as far east as Natal. Some are sticky on the outside of the flower, 

 and so ward of! ants. The stems, closely beset with small leases, perform 



