Though a family of herbs, there are a few shrubs and in the tropics a small number of trees. The cultivated forms are numerous, and some are among our most beautiful fall plants.
The flowers are collected together in heads, and sometimes are of two kinds (composite). Using the sunflower for an example we find a disk of tubular flowers in the center and, growing around it, a row of strap-shaped flowers, while in the dandelion they are all strap-shaped, and in some other species all are tubular.
The cineraria is an excellent illustration of the composite form, which bears both kinds of flowers.
The name cineraria (Latin, cinerarius, from cinis, ashes) was given to these plants because of the grayish down that covers the surface of the leaves.
The cinerarias form a large genus of practically herbaceous plants, and are chiefly natives of southern Africa and southern and eastern Europe. The varieties vary greatly from white to pinkish-purple and through various shades to dark, bluish-purple.
They are quite easily cultivated, but are house plants in temperate latitudes. They are peculiarly liable to attacks of insects, plant-lice (Aphides) being especially an enemy.
The florist's varieties are chiefly produced from the species Cineraria cruenta. Beautiful hybrids have been developed from this and other species, and the flower certainly deserves the popularity it has attained through sterling merit.
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| FROM NATURE BY CHICAGO COLORTYPE CO. 5-99 | CINERARIA. Life-size. | COPYRIGHT 1899, NATURE STUDY PUB. CO., CHICAGO. |
