448 . LXII. COMPOSITE. 
like des or lobes called Zai/s. Ovary inferior, with a single erect ovule. 
Style filiform, usually divided at the top into two short stigmatic branches. 
Fruit a small dry seed-like nut or achene, crowned by the pappus or naked. 
Seed erect, without SET, Embryo straight or rarel icle 
inferior.— Herbs shrubs or ery rarely small Se with euer or oppo- 
site leaves, without stipules. "Flo wer-heads terminal or v very rarely axillary, 
solitary or in panicles u sually corymbose, iier i reduced to clusters or 
compound heads, the general iniorescence often centrifugal, the inflorescence 
within the head wen ceniripeta 
ge ate and in SR mur of station imd abundant in America, in Southern Africa, in 
it 
Australia, and in aon ! n re ion of the northern boe , the 'apecies Jess 
numerous in propo cal Asia and Africa. After cting the ty weeds, 
To kiiy a of Geet ms: ion, the species ee as indigenous to Australia, 
nearly 500 in number, are here Amd under 88 genera ot these, 9 are ‘wiely-spred 
vend represented in most countries; 
Old World, and amongst them one (Loue a) almost limited out of Australia to the pr 
ranean region; 10 org $ to the tropical and subtropical flora of America and Asia, seve i 
of them more especially ; 10 extend into the tropical regions of the Old hie 
but not into Am erida; "en presented, out of Australia, only in S. America (chiefly 
re 
extratropical); 4 viri in S. "Africa 8 only in New Zealand or through New a ^s 
ier et and Andine S. America, and 39 (of id 18 are still monotypic) are endemi 
in Australia. 
he subdivision into groups of this vast Order has always presented the greatest dei 
and exercised the i ingenuity of the most distinguished botanists, there not being on florets 
characters adopted which does not occa asionally break down. Even that of the flo 
e 
ribe omps ; aedi d 
which, Miren ligulate, appears to be more riearly allied to those genera which con f the 
teroidee with Mutisiacee. Upon the whole, the minute differences in the shape o 
fi 
on the stage of the mounted hes, whi Ist in those Aste uetus uid they i are ro present - 
gra Wally ge Yeu to scarcely acute auricles, and in all « pens tabe uk pasen to 
wanting in individual species of grou nerally characterized them. i 
th Se gege as to rend d ore than usually dif- 
u int i 
cult task to fix their limits, and the number of monotypic or almost monotypic € 
shed has been most excessive; for the Australian flora alone I have ventured to y 
i re than 80. Too mach importance has probably been attache 7 
modern botanists to slight modifications of the pappus in distinguishing these "d The 
on the , the invol t always ha Ko fliciently made ' rarely ripe 
ape of the achene is often an excellent Gees Gs de ri ie ee shape. 
in herbarium specimens and he often give ot iden of ita foire 
Taking the most important of "the tribual Semi? it ‘will be be äre that— tisia- 
The leaves are alwa ays alternate in Cynarocephala, Vernoniacee, Senei cionide, Mu 
