Erica 
VULGARIS, 
Heath 
. Common 
ERICA Lin. Gen. PI. Octandria Monogynia. 
Cal. 4-phyllus. Cor . 4-fida. Filamenta receptaculo inferta. Anthera bifidas. 
Capf. 4-iocularis. 
Raii Syn. Arbores et Frutices. 
ERICA vulgaris antheris ariftatis, corollis campanulatis fubasqualibus, calycibus duplicatis, foliis oppofiti» 
fagittatis. Lin. Syfl. Vegetab. p. 301. Sp. P/. p. 501. FI. Suec. n. 336. 
ERICA foliis imis adpreffis fimplicibus, floralibus oalcaratis. Haller. Hijl. n. p. 1012. 
ERICA vulgaris. Scopoli FI. Carn. n. 460. 
ERICA vulgaris glabra. Baub.* *Pin. 485. 
ERICA vulgaris l'eu pumila. Ger. emac. 1380. 
ERICA vulgaris. Parkin/. 1480. Rail Syn. 470. Common Heath or Ling. Scot. Hather. Hud/on. 
FI. Angl. ed. 2. p. 165. Light] oot Ft. Scot. p. 204. 
Fruticulus pedalis, bipedalis et ultra, valde ramofus, 
rami fubereCti, teretes, pubefcentes, rubi- 
cundi. 
FOLIA oppofita, circa ramulos in quatuor feries imbri- 
cata, feflilia, fagittata. 
FLORES purpurei, fpicati, fubfecundi. 
PEDUNCULI breviflimi, longitudine foliorum. 
CALYX : duplex, perfiftens, exterior breviffimus, tetra- 
phyllus, toliolis ovatis, acutis, patentibus, e 
viridi purpurafcentibus, ad lentem ciliatis, in- 
terior cum corolla concolor, tetraphyllus, fo- 
liolis ovato-lanceolatis, nitidis, corolla longiori- 
bus, demum inflexis, /g. 1, 2. 
COROLLA monopetala, purpurea, quadripartita, co- 
rolla brevior, inclula, /g. 3. 
STAMINA: Filamenta octo, alba. Anther® fub- 
coadunatre, aurantiacas, bicornes, /g. 4, 5. 
PISTILLUM: Germen villofum. Stylus calyce lon- 
gior, furfum curvatus. Stigma quadrifidum, 
fiS' 6 - 
A fmall flirub, a foot or two in height, or more, very 
much branched, the branches moftly upright, 
round, downy, and reddifh. 
LEAVES oppofite, feflile and arrow-fhaped, placed round 
the fmall branches in four rows. 
FLOWERS purple, growing in a fpike, moftly all one 
. way. 
FLOWER-STALKS very fhort, the length of the leaves. 
CALYX : -double, and permanent, the outermoft very 
fhort, compoled of four leaves, which are 
ovate, pointed, fpreading, partly green, and 
partly purple, when magnified hairy on the 
edges, the inner one the fame colour as the 
corolla, compofed of four fomewhat lanceolate 
leaves, fhining, longer than the corolla, finally 
bending inward. Jig. 1 , 2. 
COROLLA monopetalous, purple, deeply divided into 
four fegments, fhorter than the corolla, and 
inclofed within it, fig. 3. 
STAMINA: eight white Filaments. Anther.® 
fomewhat united, orange-coloured, each fur- 
nifhed with two little horns, fig. 4, 5. 
PISTILLUM: Germen villous. Style longer than 
the calyx, bent upward. Stigma quadrifid, 
fig. 6. 
• There is, perhaps, no tribe of plants whofe flowers aflume a greater variety of form than thofe of the prefent 
genus. Such as have had opportunities of examining many of the foreign heaths, muft aflent to the truth of this 
oblervation ; and fucli as have not, need only confult the prefent fpecies, and compare the diffetftions with thofe of 
the Eri' a cinerea , and T etralix already figured, to be perfectly convinced of it : fo great indeed has this difference 
appeared to fome botanifts, that they have divided them into diftinCt genera. 
Africa produces more heaths than the whole world befides. Next to Africa, Europe is the moft productive ; and 
almoft every part of this quarter of the -globe, efpecially the northern, abounds with this fpecies. Linn®us 
remarks, in his Flora Lapionica, that, in fome of the diftriCts through which he pafled, lcarce 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, he obierves, 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 bloffoms of this fpecies in particular impart to our dreary waftes at the 
‘dole of fummer, it anfwers many important purpofes in natural as well as rural oeconomy. 
While its branches afford fhelter to many of the feathered tribe, its feeds form a principal part of their food, 
•efpceially thofe of the Grous kind: and here we may remark a particular provifion of nature in forming the feed- 
veflel, &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 fihahena quercus Linnrei , or great Egger 
Moth : we obferved many inftances of this in our northern tour. Bees are well known to colleCt largely from the 
bloffoms of heath ; but fuch honey is browner, coarfer, and of lefs value than fuch as is collected where no heath 
.grows. According to Linnaeus’s experiments, no kind of cattle appear to be fond of it. Horfes and Oxen will eat 
it ; Sheep and Goats fometimes eat, fometimes rejeCt it. Cattle, not accuftomed to browfe on heath, give bloody 
milk; but are foon cured, by drinking plentifully of water.. Pennant' s Four, 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 elfie twift 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 leather in a 
ft rong 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 refrefhing to thofe who 
fleep on them, and perhaps much more healthy. Lightfoot FI. 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 bloifom. The turf, with the Heath growing on it, is cut up, dried, and ufed for fuel by the poor cottao-er. 
It is alfo in ufe for heating ovens, for mending bad roads where better materials are wanting, and for making drains 
under-ground. 
This fpecies, as well as the others, is fometimes found with white blofloms, and a variety with hoary leaves is 
rot uncommon, particularly on Bagfhot Heath. Some authors have improperly confidered this as the Erica ciliaris 
of Linn.eus. 
The Dudder very frequently entwines itfelf about this plant, and gives it an appearance which may puzzle if 
not miflead, the inexperienced botanift. J 1 ’ 
