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P L A T E LI.
XERANTHEMUM SPECIOCISSIMUM.
hargefi-flowering Everlajilng Floiver.
C L A S S XIX. ORDER 11.
SYNGENESIJ POLYGJMIA SUPERFLUJ. Tips united. Superfluous Pointais.
GEXEEIC CHAKACTER.
EMPALI;MENT. Common tiled; fcales fpearlliaped,
the inner ones longer than tliediik,
Ikinny, iliiiiing. and forming the ray of the
flower.
BLOSSOM. Compound, unequal; floret, with
chives and pointais numerous and tubular
in the diik. Female florets fewer, and tubular
in the circumference
Indk'ichials^iili chives and pointais funnellliaped,
much fliorter than the empalement;
border with five clefts, fpreading.
Individuals with only pointais, tubular the
length of the hermaphrodites, five cleft,
and rather fmaller.
CHIVES. The threads in the hermaphrodites are
five, and very fmall. Tips forming a cylinder,
tubular almoft the length of the florets.
PoiNTAL. Seed'bud of the hermaphrodites
fliort. Shaft thread-fhaped, longer than
the chives. Summit cloven.
Seed-bud of the female florets the fame as
the hermaphrodites. Shaft thread-ihaped
the length of the hermaphrodites. Summits
two, oblong and bent back.
SEED-VESSEL none. Empalement fcarcely
changing.
SEEDS oblong, and crowned with a feather.
RECErTACLE naked, flatiih, and dotted.
CALYX. Communis imbricatus; fquamis lanceolatis,
quarum intimse difco longiores,
membranacea;, iiiiidas, radium coiiftituentes.
CoKCLLA. Compofita inrequalis; corollulfe
hermaphroditae plurima;, tubulofa; in difco.
Femineae pauciores, tubulatae, in ambi tu.
Prupria hermaphroditis infundibnliformis,
calyce longe brevior; limbo quinquefido,
patulo.
Feminds tubulofa, longitudine hermaphroditi,
quinquefida, minus sequalis.
STAMINA. Hermaphroditis filamenta quinque,
brevillima. Antherae cylindracea, tubulofa,
longitudine fere corollulae.
PisTiLLUM. Hermaphroditis germen breve.
Stylus filiformis, ftaminibus longior. Stigma
bifidum.
Femineis gennen ut in hermaphroditis.
Stylus filiformis, longitudine hermaphroditorurn.
Stigmata duo, oblonga reflexa.
PEKICAKPIUM nullum. Calyx vix mutatus.
SEMINA oblonga, coronata.
RECEPTACULUM nudum, planiufculum, punftatum.
SPECIFIC
Xeranthemum fruticofum, ereftum; foliis amplexicaulibus,
lanceolatis, trinerviis; ramis
unifloris, fubundis.
CHARACTER.
Everlafl;ing flower with an upright flirubby ftem;
leaves embracing the ftem, lance-fhaped,
and three-nerved; brancheswith one flower,
and nearly naked.
REFERENCE TO THE 1JI.ATE.
1. An Hermaphrodite floret, (natural fize).
2. The Chives, Pointal, and Seed-bud, (magnified).
3. The Pointal, and Seed-bud from a female floret, (magnified).
THIS handfome fpecits of Xeranthemum was introduced, according to the Kcw catalogue, by Mr. F.
Maffon from the Cape of Good Hope, in the year 1787; it is, neverthelefs, a very fcarce plant, being
fubjed to decay from our winter damps; therefore requires a dry ftove for its proteaion. The bloffoins
(or rather the flower-cups, for they are the perfiftent parts) are eafily prefervcd for many years,
in all their brilliancy, by cutting them, when they firft expand; but our atmofphere feems uncongenial
to the ripening of their feeds, and is with great difliculty increafed by cuttings. The foil it
moll approves is fandy peat, with a fmall portion of loam. Our figure was taken in September laft
year, at the Hammerfmith nurfery.
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