SYNGENESI A—POLYGAMIA-SUPERF. Inula. 439 



erect, lanceolate, downy, membranous at the edges, and finely 

 fringed. Marginal Jiorets from 6 to 10, elliptic-oblong, un- 

 equally 3-toothed, spreading 3 in decay becoming revolute and 

 tawny : disk prominent. Seeds minutely hairy. Down rough. 



When l^ruised, the whole herb smells like Wild Carrot. Its qua- 

 lities are astringent, perhaps tonic, and it has been recom- 

 mended as a vulnerary, both externally and internally. 



What the above variety /3, gathered by Sherard in Ireland, maybe, 

 1 have not precisely ascertained. Its short description in Ray's 

 Synopsis answers very nearly to y, which Hudson and VVilkie- 

 now reckoned a permanent species, but which I could never de- 

 termine to be so. is merely a dwarf variety, growing, accord- 

 ing to Dillenius, on barren sandy hillocks, and not much like 

 .S, minuta of Linnaeus, whose synonyms are greatly confused, 

 but which seems, by the original specimen, a variety of *S'. t'ir- 

 gaurea. Swiss specimens of .S. Virgaurea, in the collections of 

 Reynier and Davall, are even more various than those of Bri- 

 tain, especially in the size of their flowers. 



401. INULA. Elecampane, and Flea-bane. 



Linn. Gen A2Q. Juss.\S\. Fl. Br. H90. Lam. t. 680. Gccrtn. 

 t. 170. 



Nat. Orel, see 71, 396. 



Common Cal. hemispherical, imbricated ; scales loosely 

 spreading at the points, various in form and j^roportion. 

 Cor. compound, radiant, broad ; florets of the disk very 

 numerous, perfect, tubular, with 5 equal, u]n-ight or 

 spreading segments; those of the radius numerous, crowd- 

 ed, ligulate, linear, 3-toothed. Filam. in the tubular flo- 

 rets only, thread-shaped, short. Auth. united into a cy- 

 lindrical tube, with 5 sharp teetli at the summit, and 10 

 straight bristles at the base, equal in length to the fila- 

 ments. Germ, in all the florets fertile, oblong. Stijle 

 thread-shaped, cloven. Stigmas spreading, oblong, ra- 

 ther obtu.se. Seed-vessel none, but the unaltered calyx. 

 Seed linear, quadrangular. JJoxv/i simple, sessile, as long 

 as the seed, or longer. Jleeept. nearly flat, either (juite 

 •naked, or sh'irhtlv scalv. 



A innnerous genus, tolerably natural, well marked by tlie 

 bristles at the base of the atithers. The roots are for tlie 

 greater part perennial. Stem erect, simple or branched. 

 Leaves sim})le, undivided, more or less downy, rarely 

 (juite snu)()th. /•'/. large, yellow. Qualities aromatic, 

 hitter, often nuicilnL'inous. 



