206 COMPOSITE. 



and of a species is of course the same). They may be 

 in several rows and overlap each other, or be only a 

 few in one circle with perhaps a few shorter outside 

 (SENECIO Ragwort, TARAXACUM Dandelion). They 

 may be long and narrow, or short and broad, acute or 

 obtuse ; they may be altogether green, or have a papery 

 margin at the end (CHRYSANTHEMUM, ARTEMESIA 

 Wormwood), or be altogether papery and glistening 

 (aNAPHALIS, GNAPHALIUM Everlastings) or be spiny 

 (CNICUS Thistle). The individual flowers being not quite 

 complete are usually termed florets, and the more or 

 less flat expansion of the stalk on which they are set, 

 and which is backed and edged by the involucre, is 

 termed the receptacle. In Sunflower and its allies and in 

 some others there are scales on the receptacle between 

 the florets. The ovary is inferior, the corolla being 

 above it, and there are no sepals, though often hairs 

 or scales develop in their place (pappus). The corolla 

 is monopetalous and is either tubular, slightly enlarged 

 above the middle and ending in five (or four) small lobes ; 

 or extended to one side in the form of a strap or a tongue, 

 and hence called lignlate. At the end of the flat tongue- 

 shaped part there are usually three or five teeth, and 

 there may be in addition a tooth at the bottom end 

 where it joins the basal tubular portion. The nature and 

 arrangement of the florets in the head are of very great 

 importance. 



In some the florets are all tubular and similar 

 (VERNONIA, EUPATORIUM Hemp Agrimony, CNICUS 

 Thistle) ; in some though all are tubular the outer 

 have no stamen (diCHROCEPHALA) ; in others most are 

 tubular but there is a circle at the outside of ligulate 

 ones called rays (ASTER, HELIANTHUS Sunflower, 

 SENECIO Ragwort) ; in others again all the florets are 

 ligulate (taraxacum Dandelion, CREPIS Hawksbeard, 



