|r52 COMPOSITE. 



of a grey colour. The flowers are pink, borne a few heads 

 together in small terminal corymbs on stalks 3 or 4 inches 

 high. There are two varieties of this plant about in nurseries, 

 one named A. d. minima and the other A. d. hyperbo7'ea. The 

 first has no merits superior to those of the normal form, but is 

 smaller in every way ; and the other is rather larger, and per- 

 haps more useful on this account. In nurseries and many 

 gardens, and with some botanists, it is regarded as a species ; 

 but it appears to be only a slightly more vigorous form of 

 dioica. All the varieties are found in Britain, and the species 

 is besides a native of mountainous parts of central and southern 

 Europe and northern Asia. Flowers in June and July. 



A. margaritacea {Pearl Cafs-ear). — This is a tall species, 

 reaching the height of 2 or 3 feet. The stems are weak and 

 rather straggling, branching freely towards the top, and are 

 clothed with narrow lance-shaped leaves, densely clothed with 

 whitish down. The stems and branches terminate in compact 

 corymbs of white flower-heads. Owing to the straggling habit 

 of the plant, it cannot be considered a very ornamental sub- 

 ject ; but the flowers, being a tolerably good white, are desirable 

 for mixing with other everlastings. Originally the plant is from 

 North America and central Asia, but has become sparingly 

 naturalised in Monmouthshire and South Wales. 



A. tomentosa ( Woolly Cafs-ear). — This species is nearly 

 allied to the Mountain Cat's-ear, having similar leaves and the 

 same close low habit of growth ; but the leaves are clothed 

 with a denser and purer white down, giving the plant an inter- 

 esting and attractive appearance. The flower-heads are white, 

 and are best cut away when the foliage effects are the object 

 of culture. Native of North America. 



Arnica nxontana {Mountain A.) — This is, so far as I am 

 aware, the only species of the genus in cultivation, and per- 

 haps the only one in nature, though the genus is sometimes 

 augmented by including some of the species of Aroniaim, 

 which for all ornamental purposes may be very well allowed, 

 as they are nearly related and resemble each other in the style 

 of the flowers and habit of growth The present species is a 

 low-growing plant, producing tufts of egg-shaped entire leaves. 

 The flower-stems rise about 9 inches high, supporting large 

 deep-yellow flower-heads, with spreading rays. It is adapted 

 to culture on either the rockwork or front of mixed borders, in 

 hght, rich, well-drained loam, and is a handsome object in 

 either situation. Flowers in June and July. Native of open 

 woods and pasture on hills in central Europe. 



Aronicum. — This is a genus of few species, two of which 



