Erica cerinthoides.
Family Ericaceae.
Fire heath or Red hairy heath is native to South Africa.
Depending on age and conditions it can be a small compact shrub
or a straggly one up to 1 m high with few leaves and flowers.
It can regrow after fire.
Leaves are alternate but may look whorled.
They are small and leathery.
The edges are rolled under forming a groove along the lower surface.
Leaves have hairs on the sides and a longer one on the tip.
Inflorescences are terminal clusters of 7 to 10 bright red flowers.
They have 4 or 5 petals fused into a tube 3 to 4 cm long.
The tube is widest in the centre.
The rounded terminal lobes are very small.
Petals are covered in short hairs.
White and pink forms are also seen.
There are 10 stamens.
The anthers have appendages and open via apical pores.
The ovary is superior.
J.F.
