104 POISONOUS PLANTS 



Turkeys have been known to suffer from eating 

 the berries. Drying weakens the activity of the 

 deleterious principle, but does not completely 

 destroy it.^ 



Daisy Family {Compositce). — This family is 

 often called Composites, because instead of having 

 separate flowers, the so-called " flower " is really 

 composed of innumerable " florets," often of two 

 kinds. Those in the middle of the " head " — say 

 a daisy — have yellow corollas with a five-toothed 

 border. These are called '' disk-florets," while 

 those on the circumference have a narrow strap- 

 shaped or " ligulate " corolla. These form " ray " 

 florets. 



In some plants the ray is wanting, as in the 

 minute heads of Wormseed, and Wormwood of the 

 genus Artemisia. 



In one section all the florets are alike and 

 "ligulate." This is the case with the dandelion 

 and lettuce. 



The enormous family of Composites possesses 

 very few poisonous kinds. We have only two to 

 be mentioned of English plants. 



Wormseed {Artemisia maritimd). — The com- 

 monest species of this genus is Mugwort {^A. vul- 

 garis), while the old-fashioned garden plant {A. 

 Abrotanum) is known as Southernwood. A.Dracun- 



^ For poisoning by Elders^ Dr. Tanner recommends the 

 same treatment as for Bryo?iy. Note, p. 85. 



