|
|
Erica herbacea or Herbaceous Heath
Erica herbacea. Herbaceous Heath
Class and Order
Octandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Calyx 4-phyllus. Corolla 4-fida. Filamenta receptaculo inserta.
Antherĉ bifidĉ. Capsula 4-locularis
Specific Character and Synonyms
ERICA herbacea antheris muticis exsertis, corollis oblongis, stylo
exserto, foliis quaternis, floribus secundis, Lin. Syst. Vegetab.
p. 306. carnea Sp. Pl. ed. 3. p. 504.
ERICA carnea. Jacq. Fl. Austr. v. 1. tab. 32
ERICA procumbens herbacea. Bauh. Pin. p. 486.
Since the days of Mr. Miller, who, with all his imperfections, has
contributed more to the advancement of practical gardening than any
individual whatever, our gardens, but more especially our
green-houses, have received some of their highest ornaments from the
introduction of a great number of most beautiful Heaths: the present
plant, though a native of the Alps and mountainous parts of Germany,
is of modern introduction here, what renders it particularly
acceptable, is its hardiness and early flowering; its blossoms are
formed in the autumn, continue of a pale green color during the
winter, and expand in the spring, flowering as early as March,
especially if kept in a green-house, or in a common hot-bed frame,
which is the more usual practice.
It may be propagated by seeds or cuttings, the latter is the most
ready way of increasing this and most of the other species of the
genus: when the cuttings have struck root, they should be planted in
a mixture of fresh loam and bog earth, either in the open border,
under a wall, or in pots.
The name of herbacea, which Linnĉus has given to this plant, is not
very characteristic, but it should be observed, that Linnĉus in
this, as in many other instances, has only adopted the name of some
older botanist; and it should also be remembered, that in genera,
where the species are very numerous, it is no easy matter to give
names to all of them that shall be perfectly expressive.
This species does not appear to us to be specifically different from
the mediterranea.
The Botanical Magazine or Flower-Garden Displayed |
