PLATE CCCLXXIV. | 
XERANTHEMUM PROLIFERUM. 
Proliferous Eternal Flower. 
CLASS XIX. ORDER II. 
SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA. Tips united. Superfluous 
Pointals. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Recerracutum paleaceum, aut nudum. Pap- 
pus setaceus. Calyx imbricatus, radiatus ; 
radio colorato, 
Recepracte chaffy, or naked. Feather bristly. 
Empalement tiled, rayed; the ray co- 
loured. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, Xc. 
XERANTHEMUM, caule fruticoso prolifero, flo- 
ribus sessilibus, foliis granulato-subrotun- 
dis imbricatis obsoletis, 
XERANTHEMUM, with a shrubby proliferous 
stem, sessile flowers, leaves grain-shaped 
roundish tiled and obsolete. 
XERANTHEMUM proliferum. Mant. Pl. 467—Gmel. Syst. Nat. 2. 1218. 
Dgscrirrio. Frutex erectus, proliferus, tripedalis et ultra. Rami teretes, lana dens4, nivea undique 
vestiti; et ramulis numerosissimis, incipientibus, brevissimis, szpe quasi reflexo-imbricatis, 
instructi. Flores solitarii magni, squamis calycinis lanceolatis, latissim e et profundissime rubi- 
cundis, basin versus valde lanatis, superioribus sensim majoribus. 
f ° » 
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 
1. An hermaphrodite floret magnified. 
2. The chives, pointal and seed-bud magnified, 
3. One of the scales of the empalement. 
4, The receptacle. 
ee 
— 
nities 
Few genera of plants attract attention so universally and deservedly, as those of the genus Xeran- 
themum, All the species it contains are at once the favourites of the Botanist, the Gardener, and the 
Florist. The former, with pleasing satisfaction, contemplates their polished beauties still undiminished 
in his herbarium; while the latter find them (if sufficiently guarded from humidity) of easy manage- 
ment and ready growth. They bloom annually, and their durable and highly finished empalements 
. are gathered and used in decorating many a mantle-piece ; long, very long after they have ceased to 
live : whence the name of Eternal Flower. Many species of Gnaphalium possess a similar durability ; 
and we have seen dried bouquets of both united, which were extremely beautiful. 
. proliferous Eternal Flower is shrubby, commences flowering in May, lasts a long time in 
“5 1, and in point of singularity and showiness yields to few of its congeners. It is a Cape plant: 
succeeds with the treatment of several species figured before by us ; and is propagated by cuttings: was 
introduced some years since, Our figure was made from the Clapham collection. 
