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P L A T E CCCLXXIV.
XERANTHEMUM PROLIFERUM,
Proliferous Eternal Flower.
C L A S S XIX. ORDER II.
SYNGENESL4 POLYQAMIA SUPERFLUA. Tips united. Superfluous
Pointals.
E S S E N T I A L GENERIC CHARACTER.
R E C E P T A C U L U M paleaceum, aut nudum. Pappus
setaceus. Calyx imbricatus^ radiatus j
radio colorato.
R E C E P T A C L E chaffy, or naked. Feather bristly.
Empalement tiled, rayed j the ray' coloured.
S P E C I F I C CHARACTER, &C.
X E R A N T H E M U M , caule fruticoso prolifero, floribus
sessilibus, foliis granulato-subrotundis
imbricatis obsoletis.
X E K A N T H E M U M , witli a shmbby proliferous
stem, sessile flowers, leaves grain-shaped
roiindish tiled and obsolete.
X E R A N T H E M U M proliferum. Mant. PI. iQ-j.—Gmel. Syst. Nat. 2 . 1218.
D E S C K I P T I O . Frutex erectus, proliferus, tripedalis et ultra. Rami teretes, lana densa, niveà undique
vestiti ; et ramulis numerosissimis, incipientibus, brevissimis, soepe quasi reflexo-imbricatis,
instracti. Flores solitarii magni, squamis calycinis Hnceolatis, Isetissime et profundissime rubicundis,
basin versus valde lanatis, superioribus sensim majoribus.
R E F E R E N C E TO THE PLATE.
1. An hermaphrodite floret magnified.
2. The chives, pointal and seed-bud magnified.
3. One of die scales of the empalement.
4. The receptacle.
FEW genera of plants attract attention so universally and deservedly, as those of the genus Xeranthemum.
All I he species it contains are at once the favourites of the Botanist, the Gardener, and the
Florist, The former, with pleasing satisfaction, contemplates their polished beauties still undiminished
in his herbarium; while the latter find them (if sufficiently guarded from humidity) of easy management
and ready growtli. They bloom annually, and their durable and highly finished empalements
are gathered and used in decorating many a mantle-piece j long, very long after they have ceased to
live : whence the name of Eternal Flower. Many species of Gnaphalium possess a similar durabilityj
and we have seen dried bouquets of both united, which were extremely beautiful.
The proliferous Eternal Flower is shrubby, commences flowering in May, lasts a long time in
bloom, and in point of singularity and showiness yields to few of its congeners. It is a Cape plant :
succeeds with tlie treatment of several species figured before by us ; and is propagated by cuttings : was
introduced some years since. Our figure was made from the Clapham collection.
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