Maybe it's Erica...

[John Nelson]

MON 30 Nov 235pm

Friends:

    We are in possession of a small, dried-up branch of a plant that
needs to be identified. This branch appears to be the terminal end
of a paniculiform inflorescence, bearing many crowded flowers on
slender pedicels. Leaves are scaly, about 5mm long, whorled--
mostly in 4's, some 3's. Calyx of 4 lanceolate sepals, MUCH shorter
than the corolla, which is barely open at the apex, 4-lobed,
urceolate, 5mm long, and DENSELY white-tomentose. Stamens 8, not at
all exserted, each anther opening by a terminal pore, and each one
with a prominent, retrorse awn. Androecium of 8 stamens, all attached
to the base of a thin but prominent disk at the base of the ovary.
Ovary spherical, densely tomentose, looks angular, several (?)
locules, one slender style.

    I take this to be Erica. Anybody else have a thought?

    Thanks JOHN











John B. Nelson
Curator of the Herbarium (USCH)
Department of Biological Sciences
University of South Carolina
Columbia SC 29208

nelson at sc.edu
803-777-8196 phone
803-777-4002 fax

Non totum difficile est, sed nihil facile.