[356]
Erica Massoni. Masson's Heath.
Class and Order.
Octandria Monogynia.
Generic Character.
Cal. 4-phyllus. Cor. 4-fida. Filamenta receptaculo inserta. Antheræ bifidæ. Caps. 4-locularis.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
ERICA Massoni antheris muticis inclusis, corollis cylindricis grossis, floribus capitatis, foliis octofariis imbricatis pubescentibus. Linn. Suppl. p. 221. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 23.
ERICA Massoni foliis quaternis oblongis serratis villosis, floribus cylindricis viscosis. Thunb. Prod. Cap. p. 71.
No. 356
This very magnificent African Heath is first described in the Suppl. Pl. of the younger Linnæus, and named in honour of Mr. Masson, whose exertions at the Cape, where he resided many years as collector of the natural productions of that fertile spot, have so eminently contributed to render the royal collection at Kew, in this tribe of plants especially, rich in the extreme.
This Heath grows to a considerable height, and becomes much branched, the branches are long and upright, covered closely with numerous hoary leaves, nearly cylindrical, most of these terminate in a large umbel of flowers, which continue a long while in bloom, and are so extremely viscous that scarcely a winged insect can settle on them and escape with its life; the formidable wasp sometimes becomes its victim, as we once had an opportunity of seeing.
When the Hort. Kew. was first published, this species had not flowered with Mr. Aiton, it has since done so in many collections near town, and no where in greater perfection than at Messrs. Lee and Kennedy's, Hammersmith, on some one or other of whose plants blossoms may be seen during most of the summer.
It is raised from cuttings with extreme difficulty, is not so easily kept as some others, and is more susceptible of injury from moisture.