22 



* TRIPTILION spinosum. 



Spiny Triptilion. 



SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA jEQUALIS. 

 Nat. Ord. Asterace^e v. Composite. — Nassauviace^e, DC. 

 TRIPTILION. Botanical Register, vol. x.fol. 853. 



T. spinosum ; caule berbaceo ad apicem corymboso pubero, foliis pinnatilo- 

 batis: lobis in mucrcmem spinosum desinentibus. DeCand. Prodr. 7.51. 

 T. spinosum. Ruiz §■ Pavon sgst. veg. 1. 185. 

 T. laciniatum. Willd. sp.pl. 3. 1626. 

 Nassauvia spinosa. D. Don in trans, linn. soc. \6. p> 220. 



This most beautiful herbaceous plant is a native of Chile, 

 where it appears to be exceedingly common, and is called 

 Slempreviva, 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 -pug three, and -n\oi> a feather, in allusion to the feathery pappus. 



