We received this fpecies from Meilrs. Loppices and Sons, 
in June 1814, who informed us that they raifed it from feeds 
fent from Vienna, under the name of Diantius Sjlvefiris. 
It appears to us to be evidently the virgineus, as defcribed by 
Sir James E. Smitx, in the Tranfattions of the Linnean 
Society, and figured by Jacquin, in his Flora Auftriaca. 
But the {pecies of this genus vary extremely, according to the 
foil and fituation. In our plant, we have always found the 
calycine fcales to be only two; but it is very probable, that in 
a ftony poor foil, when the peduncles are lefs lengthened, the 
braétes (of which, in the cultivated plants, there are one or 
two pair diftant from the calyx) may become clofely applied ; 
and thus the number of fcales may be increafed to four, or even 
to fix. 
In Witipznow’s defcription of Diantuus wirgineus, the — 
calycine fcales are defcribed in one part as acute, and imme- 
diately afterwards as orbiculate. 
A hardy perennial, more likely to be injured by wet than by 
cold. 5 
