182 THE HIGH ALPINE PLANTS 



distinguished by the dense, grey felt of star-shaped 

 hairs which covers the blunt lance-shaped leaves. 

 The flowers are rose coloured or white, with a red 

 " eye " at the throat of the corolla. 



In the next three species, the cushions are 

 fashioned on a somewhat different plan. They are 

 hemispherical in shape, but much less compact. The 

 leaves at the end of the branches, instead of forming 

 dense bud-like growths, are arranged in fairly open 

 rosettes. The older leaves below the rosettes tend to 

 die off, so that the cushion is only leafy towards the 

 surface of the sphere. Thus we have here a combina- 

 tion of the cushion and rosette habits. 



The Glacial Androsace (Androsace glacialis, 

 Hopp.) (Plate XXXIV., Fig. 1) is a typical 

 example, and possesses rose-coloured corollas. A 

 rare species, found only in Canton Tessin, Char- 

 pentier's Androsace (Androsace charpentieri, Heer.), 

 is very similar, but the flowers are mounted on 

 longer stalks, and differ also in a number of 

 other details. The Downy Androsace (Androsace 

 pubescens, D. C.) has cushions quite like those of 

 the last two species, but white flowers with a yellow 

 " eye." It occurs chiefly in the Valais. 



Vital's Androsace (Androsace vitaliana, Lap., 

 = Aretia vitaliana, Murr. 1 ) (Plate XXXVIII., Fig. 1) 



1 Also known as Gregoria vitaliana, Duby. According to Index 

 Kewensis, this plant should be called Douglasia vitaliana, B. and H.f . 

 I have, however, here included it in the genus Aiidrosace, to which, even 

 if it should be referred to a separate genus, it is very nearly related. 



