I04 FLOWERS Ol'' l.AK]>, R1\F,RS, ETC. 



hermaphnnliic llowerheacls or i4\nomon(t;cious Horets to the functional 

 female llorets. The paj)])us of the female florets is abundant, and 

 adapts the achenes for wind dispersal. 



l)uHc]-l)ui- is a cla\-li)\inL; [ilant aildicted to clay soil in moist 

 hollows or sandy loam. 



It is covered with the same ]irctty functus as Coltsfoot, Co/co- 

 sporiuni sonchi. 



The moths, Bolys a/fyh/a//s, the ISutterlnir, Hyd7-(Ecia petasitis, 

 Halonola titrhidaiia, live on it. 



Petasitcs. Dioscoridcs, is trom the Greek petasos, a large, Isroad- 

 brimmed hat, alluding' to the foliaye, and the second Latin name 

 rclei's to its medicinal tise. 



It is called Batter Dock, llo^ Rhul)arl), I>o;_;'s Horns, liiirn l)]ades. 

 Butter-bur, Cap Dockin, Cdeats, Kettle Dock, Water Docken, Dunnies, 

 Eldin, Eldin-docken, Ell-docken, I'lapper Dock, Flea-dock, Gallon, 

 Gaun, Lagwort, Pestilence Wort. Poison Rhubarb, Son-bcfore-lhe- 

 F^ather, Umbrella Leaves. It was called Pestilence Wort frtjm a sup- 

 posed remedy it formed tor pestilential lexers. The name -Son-before- 

 the- Father is given because the llowers appear before the leaves. The 

 name Bog Rhubarb is applied because the leaves are like rhubarl). 

 It is called Bogs Horns because children use the hollow stalks as horns 

 or trinnpets. The name Butter-bui' is gi\'en because people in the 

 country wrapped butter in the large leaves. Flldln is a name given 

 because it was used as elden or iuel. 



Esst:.\Ti.\L -Specific Ciiar.\cti:;rs; — • 



164. Petaiitcs officinalis, iMoench. — Soboliferous, leaves large, on 

 long furrowed stalks appi-aring after f]owerheads, down\, orbicular, 

 rcnitdrm, tlowerheads, lilac, in spike, plants dicL-cious. 



Marsh Ragwort (Senecio aquaticus. Hill) 



Fruits of this common paludal type have been found amongst otiiers 

 in Interglacial deposits at West Wittering, Sussex. It is found in the 

 North Temperate Zone to-day in Flurope and Siberia. It grows in 

 every part of Great Britain e.xcept N. Aberdeen, ascending to 1500 ft. 

 in the Lake district. 



Water Ragwort is a marsh plant, growing common!)" in wet 

 meadows that are continually submerged. But it also grows by the 

 sides of lakes and rivers, and wherever there is water of a permanent 

 nature. In similar spots grow Great Water Chickwecd, Marsh Thistle, 

 Water Mint, Alder. Crack Willi i\\. and other hygrophytes. 



