22 
* TRIPTILION spinosum. 
Spiny Triptilion. 
SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA ZQUALIS. 
Nat. Ord. Astrracem vy. Composita.— Nassavviace®, DC. 
TRIPTILION. Botanical Register, vol. x. fol. 853. 
T. spinosum ; caule berbaceo ad apicem corymboso pubero, foliis pinnatilo- 
batis: lobis in mucronem spinosum desinentibus. DeCand. Prodr.7.51. 
T.spinosum. Ruiz §& Pavon syst. veg. 1. 185. 
T. laciniatum. Willd. sp. pl. 3. 1626. 
Nassauvia spinosa. .D. Don in trans. linn. soc. 16. p 220. 
This most beautiful herbaceous plant is a native of Chile, 
where it appears to be exceedingly common, and is called 
Siempreviva, on account of the permanence of its deep azure 
flowers. It has long been known to botanists conversant with 
the Chilian Flora as a most desirable species to introduce, and 
repeated attempts have been made to secure it, but in vain, 
till seeds came into the hands of Mr. Frost, the gardener to 
the Countess of Grenville, at Dropmore; from whom I re- 
ceived beautiful specimens last July. Mr. Frost has favoured 
me with the following memoranda concerning it. 
‘The beautiful Triptilion I have now flowered three suc- 
cessive years; I have only been able to get two young plants 
from seed, as it seeds very sparingly. ‘The plant is herba- 
ceous, with a fleshy root like that of a Dahlia in miniature ; 
the radical leaves spring up in autumn as soon as the flowering 
stems are cut off, but as they grow in summer they will have 
died off: the stems rise two feet high, and produce their 
flowers in corymbs. ‘The plant has increased in size every 
year; but I have been too choice over it to make an attempt 
to divide the root, which I think might be done in spring, 
* From rpecc three, and zri\ov a feather, in allusion to the feathery pappus. 
