156 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



3. Valerian ELLA, To urn. (Fedia, Rchb.). 



Flowers very small, solitary or in axillary cymes; 

 corolla regular, funnel-shaped, 5-lobed ; stamens 3. Small 

 annual weeds in cultivated land ; not alpine. 



The English species of Lamb's-Lettuce or Corn-Salad, 

 V. olitoria^ Mcench., carinatay Lois., Auricula^ DC, 

 and dentata. Poll. {Morisonii^ DC), occur in similar 

 situations in Central Europe, and are difficult to dis- 

 tinguish. 



Order XLIV.— DIPSACACEiE. 



Flowers small, collected into a dense spike or capitule, 

 subtended by an involucre of bracts; calyx-limb cup- 

 shaped, entire or 5-lobed, surrounded by an involucel; 

 corolla funnel-shaped, 4-5-lobed ; stamens 4, free ; ovary 

 I -celled with one pendulous ovule; fruit indehiscent; 

 leaves opposite or whorled. A small order, chiefly Asiatic. 



I. Cephalaria, Schrad. 



Capitule hemispherical; involucre composed of many 

 soft green undivided bracts ; involucel cup-shaped, with 

 eight bristly teeth ; receptacle covered with soft scales. 



C. alpina, Schrad. ; flowers pale yellow, stem 3-4 ft., 

 leaves pinnate, leaflets 9-15 ; Southern Switzerland, Jura, 

 Dauphiny, Pyrenees. C. pilosa, G. & G. ; flowers white, 

 involucel many-toothed, leaves pinnatifid at the base 

 only, stem spiny in the upper part ; Jura, Pyrenees. C, 

 leucanthay Schrad. ; flowers white, radical leaves simple, 

 stem -leaves pinnatifid, capitule globular, plant almost 

 shrubby; Pyrenees. 



