Volume 6 — PLATE CCCLXXXIV.

XERANTHEMUM VARIEGATUM.

Variegated Eternal Flower.

CLASS XIX. ORDER II.

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA. Tips united. Superfluous Pointals.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Receptaculum paleaceum, aut nudum. Pappus setaceus. Calyx imbricatus, radiatus; radio colorato.

Receptacle chaffy, or naked. Feather bristly. Empalement tiled, rayed: the ray coloured.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.

Xeranthemum, floribus solitariis nutantibus, squamis calycinis obtusis maculatis.

Xeranthemum, with solitary nodding flowers, and the scales of the empalement obtuse and spotted.

Xeranthemum variegatum. Syst. Veg. 614.—Syst. Veg. Litchf. ed. 2. p. 614.—Reich. Syst. Pl. pars 3. 766.

Xeranthemum africanum Gnaphalii foliis tomentosis, foliis et squamorum summitatibus ferrugineis. Raii Suppl. 181.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

The Xeranthemum variegatum is a small shrub, and seldom attains the height of two feet. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and was lately introduced from that country to the collection of George Hibbert, esq. where our drawing was taken in the month of May. It requires the same treatment as the other species of the genus, and is propagated in the same manner. The leaves are linear-lanced, embrace the stem alternately, and when old are often reflexed in an imbricated manner: they are clothed, as well as the stems, with wool; and resemble fine woollen cloth to the touch, and often have their edges and points of a purplish rusty colour. The bracteated peduncles are from one to three in number, at the end of each branch. The young flowers are more highly coloured than the old ones, which sometimes assume a nodding attitude: when aged they bleach almost white, except the points of the calycine scales, which always retain a purplish blotch.