I40 FLOWERS ()!• IHI'. CORNMKLDS 



The 111. Ill)' rows cjt silk\ |)a|)[)us (ir liaii" assist in ilic dispersal ol ihc 

 achcncs by tlu' wiiul. 



Corn Sow-'lhisilc is a saiul plant, fuiul of sand soil or sand\' loam, 

 _ij[rovvini^' on the sanch portions ot the Triassic and IJassic forma- 

 tions, cVC. 



The fiin^i I'licciiiia soiulii, Colcospoi-iinii soiichi, .■ILiidiinn somlii, 

 Broiiia hutiiiiC all attack it. 



The thrc(; mollis, Jlccatcra scrciia. July Chi {Polia c/ii), .Shark 

 {Citcitllia niiihralica), and two llics, liusnia soi/r/n, Tcplinlis Icsicllala, 

 are found on it. 



The name Soiii/ius, ol Thcophrasins, is h-om the Greek name of 

 the plant, sonc/ios, and said to Ik; from the Greek siios. safe, and ec/iciit, 

 to have, because it yields a heaith-givino juice. The second Latin 

 name proclaims its preference for cultivated ground. 



The names Dindle, Gutweed, Hogweed, Rosemary, .Swine Thistle, 

 Tree Sow Thistle are also given to Corn Sow -Thistle, (iutweed is 

 ai)])Iicd to it because of its long creeping roots, which wind about. 



In Russia they say the plant belongs to the T)evil. Like the I-"\il 

 Spirit in northern mythology it is spoken of sometimes as sowing 

 w^eeds amongst the good seed, from whence has originated, it is said, 

 the popular saying, "Sowing one's wild oats". It was believed to 

 reveal hidden treasure when appealed to, possil)ly because of its golden 

 flowers and heliotropic property. Rabbits and hares are especially fond 

 of it, hence their occurrence in cornfields. Goats, sheep, and pigs eat it. 



The young tender leaves are eaten as greens and as spinach. 



E.SSENTIAL Specific Characters: — 



184. Soiic/nis arveiisis, L. — Stem tall, simple, leaves runcinate, 

 toothed, upper entire, long, flowerheads large, yellow, in corymb, 

 peduncles and involucres glandular, hairy. 



Venus's Looking Glass (Legousia hybrida, Delarbre) 



This local elusive species is found south of Tiolland, and in N. 

 Africa in the North Temperate Zone. In Great TSritain it is found in 

 the Peninsula province, except in N. Devon, and in the Channel pro- 

 vince; in the Thames, Anglia. and Severn provinces, except in Mon- 

 mouth; in the Trent province, except in N. Lines and Notts; and 

 in the Huniber province, in Durham, and Haddington. Watson 

 regards it as scarcely a true colonist. It occurs in the north from 

 1 )tn-ham to Cornwall and Kent, chiefly in the eastern counties. It is 

 an introduction in Scotland. 



