ERICA aristata, minor , 
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS. 
Erica, antheris muticis, inclusis : floribus qua- 
ternis, ampullaceis, yiscosis: foliis ternis, con- 
fertis. 
DESCRIPTIO. 
Caulis erectus, fruticosus, pedalis et ultra: 
ramulis plerumque ternis, verticillatis. 
Folia ternata, sub-trigona, supra plana; sub- 
tus sulco-exarata; margine pilis longis obsita. 
Flores quaterni, patentes: corolla basi in- 
flata, apice attenuata, ima parte rubra., in media 
alba, summa saturate purpurea, glutinosissima et 
lucida : laciniis oris patentibus : calycis foliolis 
lanceolatis, barbatis, adpressis. 
Germen columnaeforme, sulcatum, ad basin 
nectariis melliferis instructum. 
Habitat ad Caput Bon$ Spei. 
Floret a mense Junii in Octobrem. 
REFERENT!A. 
1. Stamina et Pistillum, anthera una lente 
aucta. 
2. Germen et Pistillum, stigmate lente aucto. 
3. Flos yarietas rubra. 
4. Flos yarietas subalbida. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Heath, with beardless tips within the blossom s 
flowers grow by fours, are flask-shaped, and vis¬ 
cous : leaves by threes, crowded together. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Stem upright, shrubby, a foot or more high s 
branches grow mostly by threes, in whorls. 
Leaves by threes, nearly three-sided, flat on 
their upper surface, and deeply furrowed be¬ 
neath; the margins are beset with long hairs. 
Flowers grow' by fours, spreading : the blos¬ 
som is swelled at the base, and tapers to the 
point, red on the lower part, white in the 
centre, and of a deep purple towards the end, 
very glutinous, and shining: the segments of the 
border are spreading : the leaflets of the cup are 
lance-shaped, bearded, and pressed to the blos¬ 
som. 
Seed-bud pillar-shaped, furrowed, and fur¬ 
nished at the base with honey-bearing nectaries. 
Native of the Cape of Good Hope. 
Flowers from June till October. 
REFERENCE. 
1. The Chives and Pointal, one tip mag¬ 
nified. 
2. Seed-bud and Pointal, summit magnified. 
3. Flower of a red variety. 
4. Flower of a pale variety, 
Amongst cultivators, this plant bears the specific titles of aristata minor, and tricolor; neither of them 
veiy appropriate, as it does not possess three distinct colours; nor can it with propriety be considered 
as a variety of the E. aristata: but as it is well known by that appellation, we have retained it. There 
are two variations of it at present in cultivation with us ; a flower of each is given, with the dissec¬ 
tions. The pale-flowered variety is from the conservatory of the Marquis of Blandford, and we have 
not as jet seen it in any other collection. It appears to be a plant of easy culture, and was raised 
from Cape seed about the year 1806. 
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