Composite—Callistephus. oo 
6. CALLISTEPHUS (Callistémma). 
The only species we have to allude to under this head is the 
all-familiar China Aster, sometimes called Aster Sinénsis. 
This genus is characterised by having an involucre of many 
fringed bracts, a pitted naked receptacle, and a double pappus. 
The name is from xadés, beautiful, and otefavy, a crown. 
1. C. horténsis. China Aster, Reine-Marguerite.—This beau- 
tiful plant was introduced towards the end of the last century, 
and was raised in the Jardin des Plantes of Paris from seeds 
sent thither from China by the Jesuit missionary, Father d’In- 
carville. Being of annual duration, and incapable of being 
propagated except from seeds, numerous varicties have resulted 
from its extensive cultivation. In the wild state the flowers 
are single, that is to say, only the outer florets are strap-shaped, 
and usually of a rosy-lilac tint, with yellowish disk-florets. 
But under cultivation 
all the florets have 
become ligulate or 
quilled, and a richness 
and varietyof colouring 
has been developed 
scarcely surpassed in 
anyonespecies,ranging 
from pure white to 
deep carmine and 
violet and nearly blue, 
though the yellow of 
the disk in the single 
has not been repro- 
duced in the double 
forms. We are mainly 
indebted to French 
horticulturists, nota- 
bly Truffaut, Fontaine, 
and Vilmorin, for the 
great’ perfection to 
which the different 
races have been 
Fig. 123. Aster, Peony- br ought. It is wor thy Fig. 124. Aster, Truffaut's 
flowered. ({ nat. size.) of remark that these Perfection. (} nat. size.) 
varieties are so far fixed that they will come true from care-' 
