GNAPHALIUM AND XERANTHEMUM. 545 
Xeranthemum imbricatum, Linn. Amcen. Acad. 6. p. 100. Thunb. 
Prod. 133. 
Elichrysum imbricatum, Willd. Sp. PI. 3. p. 1905. 
Hah. ad Promontorium Bonse Spei. Thunherg^ Lahll- 
lardiere, Menzies, Joannes Roxburgh. V^. (v. s. sp. in 
Herb. Lamb.) 
Involucra rosea. Receptaculum hemisphaericum, proces- 
sibus numerosis, subcarnosis mollibus instructum, 
10. A. canescens, folils ovatis imbricatis tomentosis, pe- 
dunculis solitariis squamosis, involucri squamis ovatis acutis. 
Xeranthemum canescens, Linn. Amoen, Acad. 6. p. 100, 
Elichrysum canescens, WiUd. Sp. PI. 3, p. 1906. 
Hab. in Promontorio Bonse Spei. Menzies, Joanms 
Roxhirgh. V). (v. s. sp. in Herb. Lamb.) 
Receptaculum ut in praecedente, cui planta maxime affi- 
nis est. 
Mr Brown first constituted as a distinct genus, under the 
name of Astelma^ the Gnaphalium eximium of Linnaeus ; 
but as the character given by Mr Brown, in the Botanical 
Register, appears to be constructed solely from eximium, I 
have found it necessary to give a new one, in order to in- 
clude Gnaphalium milleflorum, and several species of JEIi- 
chrysum^ which cannot be removed from this genus. The 
receptacle of Astelma eximium is by no means naked, but 
it is distinctly honey-combed ; and the involucrum, in an 
advanced state, becomes radiant like the A. varlegatum^ 
although less decidedly so. There are many genera, which 
are truly natural, included in this family, which afford nu- 
merous instances, tending to shew that the involucrum, 
whether radiant or connivent, is not a character of generic 
importance in this tribe of plants. The fundamental cha- 
racter of Astelma^ therefore, is to be found in the plumose 
VOL. V Mm 
