Erica umbratica E.G.H.Oliv. & I.M.Oliv.

Species

Angiosperms > Ericales > Ericaceae > Erica

Characteristics

Shrublet delicate, brittle, pendulous, 200-500 mm long, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: main branches 200-400 mm long, with numerous secondary branches, 10-80 mm long, these not at each node, occasional, short, tertiary branchlets; stems sparsely hairy with short, spreading, simple hairs and stalked glands. Leaves 3-nate, subspreading to spreading to 90°, 5-7 x 0.8 mm, rounded on both sides, margins rounded to slightly acute, sulcus narrow, sparsely hairy on both surfaces with short-stalked glands on margins, apex tipped with solitary large gland, open at base, with occasionally at base of each lateral branch, 1-3(-5) whorls of small brown bract-like leaves; petiole ± 0.6 mm long, hairy on both sides, glands on margins. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 1 or 2 whorls, umbel-like at ends of main and secondary branches; pedicel 6-7 mm long, pink, glabrous with a few scattered short-stalked glands and simple hairs at attachment of bract and bracteoles; bract partially recaulescent, ± 1/4 way up pedicel, ovate, ± 1.2-1.4 x 0.6 mm, margins lined with sessile glands, apex with larger, red gland, otherwise glabrous, greenish; bracteoles 2, 1/3-1/2 way up pedicel, ± 1.4 x 0.6 mm, otherwise like bract. Calyx 4-partite, adpressed to corolla; segments ovate, ±2 x 1 mm, margins lined with sessile very viscid glands, the terminal one larger and dark red, otherwise glabrous, green. Corolla 4-lobed, ovoid, ±4 x 3 mm, glabrous, viscid, white; lobes recurved, ± 0.7 x 1.2 mm, rounded, margins entire. Stamens 8, included, free; filaments linear, ± 5 x 0.5 mm, slightly widened at base, subapically geniculate, spiculate near base, otherwise glabrous; anthers bipartite, dorsally attached near base, lanceolate to oblong in adaxial view, appendiculate; thecae ovate in lateral view, ± 1.8 x 1.1 mm, finely spiculate, orange-yellow, appendages elongate, narrowly lanceolate, ± 2.2. x 0.2 mm, slightly zigzagged, sparsely toothed and with a few short, simple hairs, pore ± V2 length of thecae; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 4-loculate, spherical, ± 1.5 x 1.8 mm, emarginate, short-haired, with large basal nectaries; ovules 80-100 per locule, lateral and spreading on large, bulbous placenta the full length of locule; style ± 2.4 mm long, just exserted, glabrous; stigma capitellate. Fruits not seen. Flowering time: this is variable and possibly determined by rainfall, which is mainly in winter but also as summer showers.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.2 - 0.5
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 7-8
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) -

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment stratification
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Erica umbratica world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:20011020-1
WFO ID wfo-0000673498
COL ID 6GKYP
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Erica umbratica