Mr. J. Miers on the Calyceracese. 185 



getable Kingdom/ p. 701. Many circumstances have prevented 

 the publication of these details till the present moment. 



Nine species are here enumerated, all being of a similar and 

 very distinct habit, somewhat resembling our alpine Cirsium 

 acaule in their cespitose hemispherical shape. They all grow in 

 very elevated situations, in dry rocky soil, much exposed to rough 

 weather, in the lofty Cordillera of the Andes of Chile, on both 

 the eastern and western slopes. 



The generic name is derived from vaaros, confertus, avdos, 

 flos, because of the densely aggregated flowers and achsenia in 

 each of its capitula, which, again, are so closely crowded as to 

 give to the plant the appearance of a cauliflower-head half im- 

 bedded in the ground. 



Nastanthus, nob. — Involucrum gamophyllum, ex foliolis pluri- 

 mis (10-12) uniserialibus, oblongis, obtusis, sinuato-subtrilo- 

 bis, crassiusculis, imo in tubum brevem confluentibus constans, 

 et margini receptaculi adnatum. Receptaculum magnum, 

 carnosum, subconvexum, paleolis lineari-spathulatis, inter 

 flores exteriores, paucis aut ssepe abortivis. Flores dissimiles. 

 Calycis ^n^tidentes 5, sequales, rotundati, concavi, carnosi, imo 

 saccati. — Flores fer 'tiles : corolla tubo brevi, crassiuscula, in- 

 fundibuliformis, limbo campanulato, 5-partito, lobis carnosis, 

 oblongis, subcucullatis, erectiusculis. Stamina 5, inclusa; 

 filamenta imo in tubum brevem monadelphum cum glandulis 

 totidem fauci insertum coalita, superne libera : anthera in 

 tubum 5-dentatum syngenesium connatse. Stylus longe ex- 

 sertus, filiformis, apice incrassato-cylindraceus. Stigma glo- 

 bosum, papilloso-rugosum. Ovarium cylindraceum, 5 -sulcatum, 

 calycis tubo arete adnatum, et ejus lobis coronatum. Achce- 

 nium oblongum, profunde 5-lobum, lobis obtusis spongiosis, 

 in umbone apicale breviter conicum, 1-loculare, monosper- 

 mum. Semen ordinis, pendulum. — Flores steriles : corolla tubo 

 gracillime elongato, 2-3-plo longiore, fauce infundibuliformi, 

 limbo campanulato, 5-partito, lobis tenuibus, oblongis, acutis, 

 3-nerviis, erectiusculis. Stamina inclusa ; filamenta fertiliorum ; 

 anther (E vix connatse et polline destitute. Stylus subexsertus 

 cylindraceo-clavatus, apice vix stigmatosus. Achaenium semi- 

 inferum, consimile. 



Herbae Chilenses Andicoke ccespitosa, ra&ice fusiformi ; folia radi- 

 calia plurima, pluriserialia, exteriora petiolata, oblonga, inciso- 

 dentata vel laciniata f carnosa aut submembranacea, glaberrima, 

 1-3-nervia ; scapi plurimi folio cequilongi, monocephali, carnosi, 

 late compressi, extus convexi, saepissime ad medium extus folium 

 solitarium sessile gerentes ; capitula magna in caput magnum 



Ann. $ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. vi. 13 



