or rather between femidouble and double ; the florets of the 

 radius at firft perfectly tubular or quilled, as they advance 

 fplit gradually downward on the infide, their outfide 

 is of a greyifh tint, which being vifible in molt of the 

 florets, especially the younger ones, gives them a parti- 

 coloured appearance ; thefe florets do not fo completely oc- 

 cupy the receptacle but that room is left for a few others in 

 the centre, of a different form, and yellow colour, which, on 

 examination, appear to have their parts perfect, as indeed do 

 thofe of the radius ; the receptacle is befet with membranous 

 paleae or chaffy fcales, a circumftance which would lead us to 

 confider this plant rather as an Anthemis than a Cbryfanthemum % 

 of which it has the calyx, with the foliage of Mugwort. 



New as this plant is to us, it appears to have been cultivated 

 in China for ages : Linn/eus, who defcribes it in his Species 

 Plantar, refers us to a figure in the Hortus Malabar icus ; this 

 figure, and the defcription accompanying it, agree generally 

 with our plant, but the flowers are more double, much fmaller, 

 lefs cluttered, and do not correfpond in point of colour, yet 

 there can be no doubt but our plant is a variety of the fame ; 

 it is there defcribed as growing in fandy fituations, and having 

 green petals. 



Rumphius, in his highly intercfting work, the Herbarium 

 Amboinenje is much more minute in his information ; he ob- 

 ferves, that thefe plants were originally brought from China, 

 where they flower in May and June ; that there are two forts 

 principally cultivated in India, the white and yellow-flowered,, 

 and a third fort, differing only in the colour of its flowers, 

 which are red (the variety, as we fuppofe, here figured) began 

 to be known among them at Amboyna > the flowers there do 

 not expand well, owing to their being produced at the rainy 

 feafon, and they decay without producing any feed. 



He tells us further, that it is cultivated chiefly for pleafure; 

 that the natives and the Dutch plant it only in the borders of 

 their gardens, in which it does not fucceed fo well as in pots; 

 and that, if it remains more than two vears in the fame (pot, 

 it degenerates, becomes lefs woody, and often wholly perifhes ; 

 that the Chinefe, by whom it is held in high eftimation, pay 

 great attention to its culture ; they let it in pots and jars, and 

 place it before the windows of their apartments, and that it is 

 not unufual for them when they invite their friends to an enter- 

 tainment to decorate their tables with it ; on thofe occafions, 

 he that produces the largefl flower, is confidered as conferring 

 the greater! honour on his guefts; befides thefe three varieties 

 already mentioned, they have a fourth, which is more rare, 

 7 ' whofc 



