Gnaphalium grandiflorum: floribus paniculatis, albis, lucidis: pedunculis albis, lanatis: foliis ovato-acutis, albâ lanâ tectis.
Gnaphalium with large flowers: flowers grow in panicles, white, and shining: footstalks white, and woolly: leaves are ovate-pointed, and covered with a white wool.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A scale of the empalement.
2. The same shown from the under side.
3. A flower complete.
4. The same magnified.
5. The seed-bud, chives, and pointal magnified.
6. Seed-bud and pointal.
7. The same magnified.
This Gnaphalium is at present the largest flowering species (the G. eximium excepted). Its flowers are equally durable with those of any Xeranthemum, nor does it vary essentially in any particular from that genus (as a section of which it would have been much better understood). The genus Elychrisum we find, upon examination, to be built upon the same equivocal ground, and there is little doubt but at some future period those two superfluous genera will fall into the old Linnæan genus of Xeranthemum. Our figure was made from a fine plant in the Clapham collection, about a foot and a half high. We have seen it grow much taller, but it is not then so handsome. It is certainly not a new plant, but has not been as yet figured in any modern publication. The whiteness so prevalent in its flowers and leaves (by way of contrast to the green foliage of most other plants) would render it deserving a place in every collection, even if its long-lived shining flowers were not a sufficient recommendation.[Pg 115]
PLATE CCCCXC.
PONTEDERIA DILATATA.
Dilated Pontederia.