PEARLY EVERLASTING 



is the result of many white, cottony hairs which cover 

 stem and leaves, giving a felted surface to both. The 

 leaves are lanceolate in shape, the midrib conspicu- 

 ously white. They narrow to a clasping base and hug 

 the stem, greenish gray above and white beneath. 



The Httle, white bud-balls are 

 made of many dry, overlapping 

 scales, and as summer wanes these 

 little balls open with the result of 

 many globose fiower-heads, borne 

 in small groups that are gathered 

 into terminal, slightly rounded or 

 flat- topped clusters. After the 

 heads open one sees that the pearly 

 scales enclose and protect a little 

 tuft of fuzzy, tubular florets. The 

 florets of one plant are all alike, 

 but those of a plant near by may 

 be quite different, for the species 

 is dioecious, that is, the staminate 

 and pistillate flowers are borne on 

 separate and different plants. In 

 time the centres become brownish 

 and finally, after one group has 

 lost its pollen and the other has 

 matured its seeds, the plants stand waving their white 

 plumes to autumn, well on her way. This Everlasting 

 is abundant from August to October. The white felt 

 which covers leaves and stems renders it immune from 

 grazing animals. Growing as it does in poor soil and 

 dry pastures, it has so little juice that it retains its 

 form when dry, so that the wanderer coming cityward 

 from summer journeyings will see its white flag over the 

 267 



Pearly Everlasting. 

 Andphalis margarildcea 



