54 NATIVE FLOWERS OF VICTORIA. 
flowering, thia Humea sends up a long stem, sometimes 
six feet in height from which hang in drooping hun- 
dreds, very small delicate flowers, sometimes silvery 
white, sometimes pink, and often a rich crimson. The 
weeping, plume-hke character of the large head of 
small flowers is of a very decorative appearance. Un- 
fortunately, to some people, this beautiful plant is of 
a very troublesome nature, possessing the power to 
cause painful irritation when coming in contact with 
any part of the skin. The effect is like that of a 
severe attack of eczema, the parts affected swelling 
and being painful for some days. Fortunately, the 
large majority of people are immune, and may handle 
the plant with impunity, and very few people are 
susceptible to its irritant action. 
This species is a most decorative plant for garden 
culture. It is difficult to describe the loveliness of its 
dainty drooping plumes. Although favouring cool 
and sheltered positions in its native home, it grows 
well on banks, rockworks, and in garden beds, pro- 
vided the soil is good and moist. 
In Switzerland it is a popular pastime for flower 
lovers to obtain a flower of a beautiful plant which 
grows on the Alps, and which is known as the Eidel- 
weiss. This is also collected for sale by the moun- 
taineers. In the Victorian Alps there grows a very 
close relation of this plant which is often and cor- 
rectly called Eidelweiss, being botanically known as 
Leontopodium Catipes. It forms close tufts of a 
silvery white growth from which the woolly tufted 
flower heads rise, sometimes six inches in height. 
The flannel flower, Actinotus Helianthi, which is 
so popular in Sydney in springtime, and which is 
