78 WILD, OR NATIVE FLOWERS. 



large and broadly ovate, several-nerved, very white underneath, and 

 less downy on the outer surface ; the corymbed head of flowers shining 

 with bright scales and silky pappus — the scales are not pure white, but 

 with a slight tinge of brown. Later on in the month of July, a tall, 

 slender form of this Everlasting may be seen with larger root-leaves and 

 loose heads of flowers on long foot-stalks ; the flowers are slightly 

 tinged with reddish-purple and silvery-grey, which gives a pearly or 

 prismatic effect, as the eye glances over a number of the plants moved 

 by the summer wind. The flowery heads are conical, the unopened 

 blossoms sharply pointed : the whole plant tall, slender and simple, and 

 very downy. 



The later plants of the Everlasting family differ from the above 

 species. One commonly called 



Neglected Everlasting — Gnaphalinin polycep/ialiii/i, (Mx.) 



deserves our especial notice on account of the pleasant fragrance which 

 pervades the gummy leaves, as well as the shining straw-coloured flowers; 

 the scent is aromatic and slightly resinous. This plant is found in old 

 pastures, and by wayside waste lands, often mingled with the Pearly- 

 Everlasting iyAntennaria margaritacea) and other common species 

 of the order. 



It is so commonly seen, and is so little cared for as to have obtained 

 the name of Neglected Everlasting. Truly even a flower may be without 

 honour in its own country! 



• There is another plant of this family, found in old dry pastures, 

 with straw-coloured, shining flowers ; but it lacks the aromatic fragrance 

 and dark-green, narrow, revolute, gummy leaves of the preceding ; it is 

 branching with a wide-spread corymbed head and has the leaves decurrent 

 on the stem, whence its name, G. decurrens. This is an earlier species 

 than the Neglected Everlasting. 



Pearly Everlasting — Antentiaria margaritacea., (R. Br.) 



The abundance of the common Pearly Everlasting induced many 

 of the backwoods settlers' wives to employ the light dry flowers as a 

 substitute for feathers in stuffing beds and cushions, and very sweet and 

 comfortable these primitive pillows and cushions are, they are, too, 

 pleasantly fragrant, for the Pearly Everlasting is also sweet-scented, 

 though not so much so as G. polycephahim ; the heads are soft, 

 elastic, and easily obtained. The French peasants still hang up Wreaths 

 or Crosses of the white-flowered Everlastings in churches, and upon 

 the graves of the dead, to mark where one fair bud or blossom has 



