CALLU'NA*. Linnean Class and Order. OCTA'NDRIA†, MONOGYNIA. Natural Order. ERI'CEE, Dr. R. Brown.-Lind. Syn. p. 172; Introd. to Nat. Syst. p. 182; Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 523.-ERI'CÆ, Juss. Gen. Pl. p. 159.; Sm. Gram. of Bot. p. 115.-ERICI NEÆ, Rich. by. Macgilliv. p. 450. GEN. CHAR. Calyx (fig. 4.) inferior, permanent, double; outermost of 4 oblong, blunt, fringed leaves; inner of 4 elliptic-spearshaped, concave, coloured, polished sepals, concealing the corolla. Corolla (fig. 3.) of one petal, bell-shaped, deeply 4-cleft, upright, much shorter than the inner calyx. Filaments 8, (figs. 5. and 6.) from the receptacle, short, curved. Anthers terminal, upright, spear-shaped, with 2 lateral oblong orifices, each united before bursting, with the similar orifice of its neighbour at each side; the base bearing 2 deflexed bristles. Germen superior, roundish, depressed. Style (fig. 7.) cylindrical, nearly upright, the length of the inner calyx. Stigma capitate (knobbed), with 4 notches. Capsule concealed by the inflexed, permanent, inner calyx, round, a little depressed, with 4 furrows, 4 simple valves, and 4 cells; the partitions simple, flat, alternate, and unconnected with the valves, fixed vertically to a large, egg-shaped, pitted, permanent, central column. Seeds numerous, small elliptic-oblong, attached to the column. Differs from Erica in having a double calyx, and in the dissepiments (partitions) being attached to the column, and opposite to the margins of the valves. It may be distinguished from other Genera, in the same class and order, by the monopetalous, inferior, 4-cleft corolla; and the 4-valved, 4-celled capsule, with simple partitions. Only one species known. CALLU'NA VULGARIS. Common Ling. Heather. Grig. SPEC. CHAR. Sm. Engl. Fl. v. ii. p. 225.-With. (7th edit.) v. ii. p. 481.-Lindl. Syn. p. 173. Hook. Brit. Fl. p. 177. Hook. Fl. Scot. p. 119.-Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 88.-Fl. Devon. pp. 68 & 153.-Johnston's Fl. Berwick, v. i. p. 88.--Curt. Brit. Entom. v. iii. p. 145.-Walk. Fl. of Oxf. p. 110.-Callúna sagittæfólia, Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 399.-Erica vulgáris, Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 501.-Curt. Fl. Lond. t. 197.Eng. Bot. t. 1013.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 165.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 417.-Lightf. Fl. Scot. v. i. p. 203.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 124-Abbot's Fl. of Bedf. p. 87.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. i. p. 192.--Relh. Fl. Cantab. (3rd ed.) p. 159.Mack. Catal. of Pl. of Irel. p. 37.-Ray's Syn. p. 470.-John. Ger. p. 1380. LOCALITIES.-On heaths, dry moors, open barren wastes, and in woods where the soil is sandy. Very common. A Shrub.-Flowers in June, July, and August. Figs. 1 & 2. A Flower, with a small bit of the branch, and some of the leaves. -Fig. 3. Coralla.-Fig. 4. Outer and inner Calyx.-Fig. 5. Stamens and Pistil. Fig. 6. A separate Stamen.-Fig. 7. Germen, Style, and Stigma. All magnified. * From calluno, Gr. to cleanse, or adorn; which is doubly suitable, whether we take it to express a cleansing property, brooms being made of this plant; or whether we adopt the more common sense of the word, to ornament or adorn, which is very applicable to the flowers. Sir J. E. SMITH. The Ling (Callúna vulgáris) is the badge of the Scottish Clan Macdonell. † See Adoxa moschatellina, p. 42, note t. irregularly branched, branches reddish. Leaves minute, opposite, sessile, with 2 small decurrent spurs at the base, closely imbricated on the young branches, in four rows, generally smooth, sometimes pubescent, or even hoary, as in variety ß. of Sir J. E. SMITH'S English Flora. Flowers (fig. 1.) small, reddish, or pale rose-coloured, sometimes white, on short stalks, drooping, in longish unilateral clusters, which are soon over-topped by leafy shoots. Outer calyx (Bracteæ of LINDL. and Hook.) of 4 small green leaves, which are often tinged with red, and fringed at the edge with soft hairs; inter or proper calyx, which is the most conspicuous part of the flower (see figs. 1 and 4.), consists of 4, somewhat egg-shaped, concave sepals, of a shining permanent rosecolour. Corolla of 1 petal, much shorter than the calyx, divided above half way down into 4 (sometimes 5) egg-shaped, blunt, equal segments (fig. 3.), of a pale purple rose-colour, white towards the base. Filaments 8, awl-shaped, white, or tinged with purple. Anthers not protruding beyond the corolla, reddish-brown or orange-coloured, spear-shaped, with 2 cells opening at the sides; horns awl-shaped, white, sometimes cloven, pointing downwards, nearly half the length of the filaments, pollen white. Style cylindrical, slanting upwards, white, purplish above, longer than the calyx. Stigma purplish-red. Capsule small, inclosed by the permanent proper calyx. There is a beautiful variety of this, with double flowers, which is commonly met with in the nurseries; it sometimes occurs with white flowers; and a variety, with hoary leaves, is not uncommon on Shotover Hill, near Oxford, and many other places. This lovely gem, whose modest bloom sheds beauty o'er the lonely_moor," and almost every heath, and barren open waste in Great Britain and Ireland, where the soil is sandy; is applied to a great variety of purposes, in the bleak and barren Highlands of Scotland, and other northern countries. The poorer inhabitants cover their cabins with it instead of thatch; they also construct the walls of their cottages with alternate layers of Heath, and a kind of mortar, made of black earth and straw, the woody roots of the Heath being placed in the centre, and the tops externally and internally. The hardy Highlanders frequently make beds of it, laying the roots downwards, and the tops upwards. In this manner they are said to form a bed so pleasant, that it may vie in softness with the finest down, while in salubrity it far exceeds it. Mr. M NAB, the present able Curator of the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, says he can state, from his own experience, that a dry bed of native heather is, to the weary traveller in many parts of the Highlands, a real luxury. In most of the western isles they dye their yarn of a yellow colour, by boiling it in water with the green tops and flowers of this plant; and woollen cloth boiled in alum water, and afterwards in a strong decoction of the tops, comes out a fine orange colour. It has also been found, by boiling, to afford a good liquor for tanning leather. In the island of Ilay, ale is frequently made by brewing one part malt and two parts of the young tops of Heath; sometimes hops are added. BOETHIUS relates, that this liquor was much used by the Picts. In Scotland, ropes are made of Heath. In most parts of Great Britain it is generally used for making besoms. Sheep and goats sometimes eat the tender shoots, but they are not fond of them. The grouse and heath-cock feed upon them, and on the seeds; and for this purpose the seedvessel is so constructed as to retain the seeds for a considerable length of time, instead of discharging them as soon as they become ripe. Bees extract much honey from the flowers, but it has a reddish cast, and is coarse. The foliage affords nourishment to the caterpillar of the Great Egger Moth, (Phalana Quercus). The Lesser Dodder (Cuscuta Epithymum) is frequently parasitical on this plant, about which it entwines itself, giving it an appearance which may puzzle, if not mislead, the inexperienced Botanist. |