Volume 10 — PLATE DCLII. XERANTHEMUM HUMILE. Low-growing Xeranthemum.

CLASS XIX. ORDER II.

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA. Tips united. Superfluous Pointals.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Receptaculum paleaceum, Pappus setaceus. Calyx imbricatus, radiatus, radio colorato.

Receptacle chaffy. Feather bristly. Cup tiled, rayed, the ray coloured.

See Xeranthemum speciosissimum, Pl. LI. Vol. I.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Xeranthemum foliis subulatis sub-vestitum. Caulis humilis, robustus, ramulis procumbentibus: floribus magnis rubris.

Xeranthemum with awl-shaped leaves nearly clothing the stem. Stem low and stout, with branches hanging down. Flowers large, and of a red colour.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

This fine dwarf species of Xeranthemum was introduced from the Cape of Good Hope at the same time with the X. fasciculatum rubrum by Mr. Niven. It is a hardy robust green-house shrub, of humble growth, and appears as if it would always retain that character. It requires an airy situation, and when watered (which should not be often) to be thoroughly wetted, as partial watering is a general destroyer of plants, by suffering the atmosphere to exhale the humidity before it has half penetrated to the bottom; which by repeated wetting rots the upper part, and leaves the roots below to starve for want of moisture.