Pharnaceum foliis linearibus, verticillatis; umbellis inequalibus; calycibus aurantiis; caule decumbente.

Pharnaceum with linear leaves, growing in whorls; umbels unequal; cups orange coloured; stem bending downwards.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Cup, shewn from the front, with the chives.
2. The same, shewn from the hind part attached to the fruit-stalk.
3. The Seed-bud and Pointals, natural size.
4. The same, magnified.
5. The Seed-bud, cut transversely, magnified.

This little plant much resembles our Corn Spurry, or Spergula arvensis, at first sight. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, seldom grows more than six inches high, and is very apt to be destroyed by the damps of our winters. It should be placed in the airyest part of the greenhouse, and kept in light sandy loam. To propagate it, the cuttings should be put in, about the month of March, in the heat of a gentle hot-bed, or the bark-bed of the hot-house; the seeds are sometimes perfected. It has been often introduced to us, but as often lost; as it is not a plant of much shew, no great deal of pains has, hitherto, been taken for its preservation. Our drawing was taken from a plant in the Hibbertian Collection, in the month of July, 1802.[Pg 77]

[Pg 78]

PLATE CCCXXVII.

XERANTHEMUM ARGENTEUM.

Silvery Everlasting-Flower.