ASTERACEiE. 



INULA. 



Head many-flowered, heterogamous. Florets of the ray ? , in 



1 row, sometimes by abortion sterile, usually ligulate, sometimes 

 somewhat tubular and trifid ; those of the disk g, tubular, 

 5-toothed. Involucre imbricated, in several rows. Receptacle 

 flat, or somewhat convex, naked. Anthers with 2 setae at the 

 base. Achaenium without a beak, tapering or in I. Helenium 

 4_cornered. Pappus uniform, in 1 row, composed of capillary, 

 roughish setae. DC. 



919. I. Helenium Linn. sp. pi. 1236. Eng. Bot. t. 1546. 

 Woodv. t. 108. Smith Eng.fi. iii. 410. DC.prodr. v. 463.— 

 Corvisartia Helenium Merat.fi. par. ed. 2. ii. 261. Aster offici- 

 nalis All.pedem. No. 705. Aster Helenium Scop. can?. No. 107S. 

 — Pastures in various parts of Europe. (Elecampane.) 



Root thick, branching, aromatic, bitter and mucilaginous. Stem 

 3 feet high, leafy, round, furrowed, solid ; branched, and most downy 

 in the upper part. Leaves large, ovate, serrated, veiny ; downy and 

 hoary at the back ; radical ones stalked ; the rest sessile, clasping the 

 stem. Flower-heads solitary at the downy summits of the branches, 



2 inches broad, bright yellow. Scales of the involucre broad, recurved, 

 leafy, finely downy on both sides. Rays very numerous, long and 

 narrow, each terminating in 3 unequal teeth. Achaenia quadrangular, 

 smooth. Pappus roughish. Receptacle reticulated, not quite smooth 

 or naked. — Various preparations of the boiled root, mixed with sugar, 

 have been recommended to promote expectoration, and to strengthen 

 the stomach. Some think a spirituous extract contains most of its 

 aromatic and tonic properties. The plant is generally kept in rustic 

 gardens, on account of many traditional virtues. Smith. The root 

 contains a white starchy powder called Inuline, a volatile oil, a soft 

 acrid resin, and a bitter extractive. . It is regarded as a tonic, diuretic 

 and diaphoretic, and has been used in dyspepsia, pulmonary affections 

 and a variety of other diseases. Pereira. 



PULICARIA. 



Head many-flowered, heterogamous. Florets of the ray ? , in 

 1 row, almost always ligulate ; of the disk <f, tubular, 5-toothed. 

 Receptacle naked, tessellated, flattish. Involucre loosely imbri- 

 cated, in few rows, with linear scales. Achaenium not beaked, 

 downy, tapering, not compressed. Pappus in 2 rows ; the 

 outer coronet-shaped, toothed, very short ; the inner consisting 

 of 10-20 roughish setae. DC. 



920. P. dysenterica Gazrtn. carp. ii. 462. DC. prodr. v. 479. 

 — Inula dysenterica Linn, sp.pl. 1237. Eng. Bot. t. 1115. 

 Smith Eng. El. iii. 440. — Common in ditches and by road- 

 sides all over Europe. (Common Fleabane.) 



Root creeping. Herb more or less woolly or cottony, glutinous, 

 with a peculiar acid aromatic scent, somewhat like the flavour of 



456 



