Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 36 1 



PEARLY EVERLASTING (Anaphalis margarit- 

 acea) is the largest flowered and the prettiest of the 

 everlastings. It is one of the very few flowers that 

 will naturally preserve its color and shape upon dry- 

 ing. Because of this fact, these flowers are often pre- 

 served for vases and are used by florists for the mak- 

 ing of wreaths. We frequently see them dyed green, 

 blue, red, yellow, etc. 



The stems are simple, quite stout, white-woolly, 

 leafy and 6 to 30 inches in height. The leaves are 

 long and narrow, have a smooth edge, are grayish- 

 green above and woolly below, and narrow into clasp- 

 Ing bases; they are closely set around the stem from 

 the base to the flower cluster. 



The flowers are in flat-topped clusters; each head 

 is composed of many, pearly-white, dry, overlapping 

 scales that surround brownish-yellow, tubular florets. 

 Before they have expanded they look like large pearls 

 but after opening they resemble, somewhat, miniature 

 Water-Lilies. Staminate and pistillate flowers grow 

 on different plants. When the flowers are opened, 

 we usually see many varieties of small moths and 

 butterflies about them, as well as small bees. These 

 are the useful agents for cross-fertilization. This 

 Everlasting is very common on dry hillsides, in woods 

 or on recently cleared land. Its range extends from 

 N. S. to Manitoba and southwards to S. C. and Mo. 

 It is in full bloom from July until September. 



SWEET EVERLASTING (Gnaphalium polycepha- 

 lum) has a woolly stem and wavy, lanceolate, woolly 

 leaves. The pearly flowerheads are oval in shape; 

 they do not expand until after they have matured. 

 It is common in pastures everywhere. 



