232 THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. [Gnaphalium. 



4. G. uliginosum, Linn. (fig. 511). Marsh C. — A much branched, 

 cottony annual, seldom above 6 inches high ; the leaves linear or 

 narrow- oblong, the upper ones waved on the edges. Flower-heads 

 small and clustered, many together, within a tuft of rather long leaves 

 at the extremity of the branches. Involucral bracts brown and scarious. 

 Florets about the length of the involucre, the 3 or 4 outer rows filiform, 

 with a very few tubular ones in the centre. Achenes very minute, 

 scarcely compressed, with a very deciduous pappus of distinct hairs. 



In fields and Waste places, especially in wet, sandy situations, through- 

 out Europe and Kussian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic 

 regions. Common in Britain. Fl. summer and autumn. 



VIII. ANTENNARIA. ANTENNARIA. 



Cottony perennials, with the characters of Gnaphalium, except that 

 the flower-heads are dioecious, those of some individuals having filiform 

 fertile florets without any tubular males, in other individuals having 

 only tubular male florets ; and the involucral bracts have more scarious 

 spreading tips, at least in the males. 



The species are numerous, almost limited to the mountain regions of 

 the northern hemisphere. They were included in Gnaphalium, in former 

 editions. 



Low plant, with 3 to 6 flower-heads in the terminal corymb . 1. A. dioica. 



Tall plant, with a large corymb of numerous flower-heads . 2. A. margaritacea. 



1. A. dioica (fig. 512). Mountain Everlasting, Cat's-ear. — A small 

 perennial, with a tufted or creeping leafy stalk, and almost simple 

 flowering stems, 2 to 4 or 5 inches high. Lower leaves obovate or 

 oblong ; upper ones linear, white underneath or on both sides. Flower- 

 heads 3 or 4 together, in compact, terminal corymbs, and dioecious. 

 In the males the inner bracts of the involucre have broad, white, petal- 

 like tips, spreading like the ligulate florets of a radiating flower-head ; 

 the florets all tubular and short. In the females the inner bracts are 

 narrow, white at the tips, but not spreading, and the florets all filiform, 

 with a long protruding pappus to the achenes. 



In mountain pastures, common in northern Europe, Asia, and America, 

 to the Arctic regions, and in the great mountain-ranges of central and 

 southern Europe and Kussian Asia. Abundant in Scotland, Wales, 

 Ireland, and many parts of England, descending occasionally nearly to 

 the coast level. Fl. summer, rather early. 



2. A. margaritacea, Br. (fig. 513). Pearl A. — An erect perennial, 

 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves linear-lanceolate, white and cottony under- 

 neath or on both sides. Flower-heads numerous, in flat terminal 

 corymbs, usually dioecious, but less absolutely so than in A. dioica; 

 the involucres of both kinds with several rows of very white, broad, 

 loose, or spreading bracts. 



A North American and central Asiatic plant, long cultivated among 

 our garden Everlastings, and now apparently naturalised in a few 

 localities in Monmouthshire and in South Wales, Scotland, and the 

 Channel Islands. Fl. end of summer. 



