Erica vulgaris. Common- Heath» 



ERICA Lin. Gen. PL Octandria Monogynia. 



Cat. 4-phyllus. Cor. 4-fida. Filamenta receptaculo inferta. Anthera bifida» 

 Cap/. 4-locularis. 

 Raii Syn. Arbores et Frutices. 

 ERICA vulgaris antheris ariftatis, corollis campanulatis fubasqualibus, calycibus duplicatis, foliis oppofit'is 



fagittatis. Lin. Sy/l. Vegetab. p. 301. Sp. PI. p. 501. Fl. Suec. n. 336. 

 ERICA foliis imis adpreffis fimplicibus, floralibus calcaratis. Halkr. Hifi. n. p. 1012. 

 ERICA vulgaris. Scopoli Fl. Cam. n. 460. 

 ERICA vulgaris glabra. Bauh. Fin. 485. 

 ERICA vulgaris feu pumila. Ger. emac. 1380. 



ERICA vulgaris. Parkin/. 1480. Rail Syn. 470. Common Heath of Ling. Scot. Hather. Httdfort, 

 Fl. AngL ed. 2. p. 165. Lightjoot FL Scot. p. 204. 



iFruticulus pedalis, bipedalis et ultra, valde ramofus, y A fmall fhrub, a foot or two in height, or more, very 

 rami fuberecti, teretes, pubefcentes, rubi- % much branched, the branches moftly upright, 



cundi. I round, downy, and reddifh. 



FOLIA oppofita, circa ramulos in quatuor feries imbri- % LEAVES oppofite, feffile and arrow-fhaped, placed round 

 cata, feflilia, fagittata. | the fmall branches in four rows. 



FLORES purpurei, fpicati, fubfecundi. ^FLOWERS purple, growing in a fpike, mofHy all one 



I wa y- 



PEDUNCULI breviffimi, longitudine follorum. | FLOWER-STALKS very fhort, the length of the leaves. 



CALYX : duplex, perfiftens, exterior breviffimus, tetra- 1 CALYX : double, and permanent, the outermoft very 

 phyllus, foliolis ovatis, acutis, patentibus, e! fhort, compofed of four leaves, which are 



viridi purpurafcentibus, ad lentem ciliatis, in- % ovate, pointed, fpreading, partly green, and 



terior cum corolla concolor, tetraphyllus, fo- 1 partly purple, when magnified hairy on the 



liolis ovato-lanceolatis, nitidis, corolla longiori- % edges, the inner one the fame colour as the 



•bus, demum inflexis, Jig. 1, 2. ^ corolla, compofed of four fome what lanceolate 



* leaves, mining, longer than the corolla, finally 



¥ bending inward, Jig. 1, 2. 



COROLLA monopetala, purpurea, quadripartita, co- 1 COROLLA monopetalous, purple, deeply divided into 

 rolla brevior, inclufa, fig. 3. % four fegments, fhorter than the corolla, and 



I inclofed within it, fig. 3. 



STAMINA : Filamenta o£To, alba. Anthers fub- f STAMINA : eight white Filaments. Anthers 

 coadunata^ aurahtiacae, bicornes* fig. 4, 5. | fomewhat united, orange-coloured, each fur- 



I nifhed with two little horns, fig. 4, 5. 



PISTILLUM: Germen villofum. Stylus calycelon- ? PISTILLUM : Germen villous, Style longer than 

 gior, furfum curvatus. Stigma quadrifidum, | the calyx, bent upward. Stigma quaarifid, 



fig. 6. % fig- 6. 



There is, perhaps, no tribe of plants whofe flowers affume a greater variety of form than thofe of the prefent 

 genus. Such as have had opportunities of examining many of the foreign heaths, miift affent to the truth of this 

 oblervation ; and fuch as have not, need only confult the prefent fpecies, and compare the diffedtions with thofe of 

 the Erica cinerea, and Tetralix already figured, to be perfectly convinced of it : fo great indeed has this difference 

 appeared to fome botanifts, that they have divided them into diftindt. genera. 



Africa produces more heaths than the whole world befides. Next to Africa, Europe is the moft productive 5 and 

 almoft every part of this quarter of the globe, efpecially the northern, abounds with this fpecies. Linnaeus 

 remarks, in his Flora Lapponicq, that, in fome of the diftridts through which he paffed, fcarce any plant was to be 

 feen but the barren heath, which every where covered the ground, and could no ways be extirpated. The country 

 people, heobferves, had an idea that there were two plants which would finally overfpread and deftroy the whole 

 earth, viz. Heath and Tobacco. 



Exclufive of the animation which the blofloms of this fpecies in particular impart to our dreary waftes at the 

 clofe of fummer, it anfwers many important purpofes in natural as well as rural ceconomy. 



While its branches afford fhelter to many of the feathered tribe, its feeds form a principal^ part of their food, 

 •efpecially thofe of the Grous kind : and here we may remark a particular provifion of nature in forming the feed- 

 veffel, &c. in fuch a manner as to preferve the feeds a whole year, or longer, whence they have a conftant fupply. 

 The foliage of this fpecies affords nourifhment to the caterpillar of the Phalama quercus Linnai, or great Egger 

 Moth : we obferved many inftances of this in our northern tour. Bees are well known to colled largely from the 

 blofloms of heath ; but fuch honey is browner, coarfer, and of lefs value than fuch as is collected where no heath 



grows. According to Linnseus's experiments, no kind of cattle appear to be fond of it. He 

 ip and Goats fometimes eat, fometimes reject it. Cattle, not accuftomed to browfe 



Horfes and Oxen will eat 



; Sheep and Goats fometimes eat," fometimes rejeft it. Cattle* not accuftomed to browfe on heath, give bloody 

 milk ; but are foon cured, by drinking plentifully of water. Pennant's Tour, p. 229. 



Heath or Hather is applied to many (Economical purpofes among the Highlanders : they frequently cover their 

 houfes with it inftead of thatch, or elfe twin: it into ropes, and bind down the thatch with them in a kind of 

 lattice-work. In moft of the weftern ides they dye their yarn of a yellow colour, by boiling it in water with the 

 green tops and flowers of this plant. In Rum, Skye, and the Long Ifland, they frequently tan their Jeather m a 

 ftrong decoction of it. Formerly the young tops are faid to have been ufed alone to brew a kind of ale; and 

 even now, I was informed, that the inhabitants of Ifla and Jura ftill continue to brew a very potable liquor, by 

 mixing two-thirds of the tops of Hather, and one-third of malt. This is not the only refrefhment that Hather 

 affords ; the hardy Highlanders frequently make their beds with it, laying the roots downwards, and the tops 

 upwards, which, though not quite fo foft and luxurious as beds of down, are altogether as refreiningto thofe who 

 ileep on them, and perhaps much more healthy. Lightfoot Fl. Scot. p. 205. 



In moft parts of Great Britain, Heath is in general ufe for making brooms; and for this purpofe is ufually cut 

 when in hloifom. The turf, with the Heath growing on it, is cut up, dried, and ufed for fuel by the poor cottager. 

 It is alfo in ufe for heating ovens, for mending bad roads where better materials are wanting, and for making drama 

 under- ground. . 



This fDecies, as well as the others, is fometimes found with white blofloms, and a variety with hoary leaves is 

 not uncommon, particularly on Baglhot Heath. Some authors have improperly confidered this as the Erica cilians 



Of LlNNJEUS. 



The Dodder very frequently entwines itfelf about this plant, and gives it an appearance which may puzzle, it 

 Hot miflcad, the inexperienced botanift . 



