72 SWISS FLOWERS. 



as when they were first gathered. The brush-like centre of 

 the flowers is surrounded by a petal-like calyx, or invo- 

 lucre, the scales of which are white in the barren, pink in 

 the fertile, flowers. The leaves are whitish and downy, those 

 of the root shorter than those on the stem. Common on 

 dry sunny hills and pastures. 



53. Homogine, or Tussilago. 



{PLATE XXX.) 



This plant has rather the appearance of a small Thistle, 

 but, instead of the prickles with which thistles abound, it is 

 soft and cottony on the stem and leaves. It belongs to 

 the Coltsfoot family, though it does not resemble our 

 common Coltsfoot in the curious way in which leaves and 

 blossom appear at separate times. The leaves of H. Alpina 

 (Fig. 53) are also very much smaller, and, although they 

 have the same cottouy web on the under-side, they are 

 bright green on the upper. They are crenate and kidney- 

 shaped, springing from the root. The stem has two or three 

 downy, kind of scaly, leaves. The flowers are purple. 

 Very commonly met with on mountain-pastures. 



