MOUSE-EAR HAWKWEED 165 



This wild (lower has no real aerial stem, the llowerino; stems beiiif 

 scapes. It is sti)loniferous, and except for the scapes prostrate or 

 decLimbent. The leaves are stalked, entire, egg-shaped, downy be- 

 neath, dark-green, rough, hairy both sides, the offsets branching out 

 from the centre of the lea\es and creeping, leafy and stiffly hairy, or 

 with a felt of long stiff hairs, and stellately downy below. In dry 

 weather the leaf rolls up, the downy under side being uppermost. 



The Howerheads are 

 pale or sulphur- yellow, 

 the outer ones purple be- 

 low, the petals fringed 

 and reddish-decked. The 

 phyllaries are une([ual and 

 imbricating. The scapes 

 are one-flowered. 



The plant is rarely 

 more than 6 in. high (the 

 scapes). It is in flower 

 from May to July and 

 even later. It is a peren- 

 nial propagated by divi- 

 sion, and worth cultivating. 



The flowers open in 

 fine weather between 7 

 and 8. The capitulum is 

 made up of 42-64 florets, 

 which increase in size 

 centrifugally. The tube 

 is 3-6 mm., and the limb 

 4-8 mm. The capitulum 



opens in the sun and measiu'es 20 mm., and being bright lemon-yellow 

 is, though small, conspicuous and attracti\e to insect.s. When it is wet 

 the petals close up. Insects' visits are not so abundant, and by means 

 of the involution of the stigmas the plant is self-fertilized. It is visited 

 by /'anurous, Andrcua, Ilalictus, Ccraiiucx, Diphysis, Noniada, Ccphus, 

 Bovibylius, JIc/op/n7us, I-Ioll)'l)lue (Cycju/ris argiolus), The Mother 

 Shipton {Pieris brassicce). Large White Butterfly [Euc/idia mi); 

 Coleoptera, Lepliira livida, Cryptoccphahts. 



The pappus is slender, but assists in the dispersal of the fruits by 

 the wind. 



Mouse-ear llawkweed is a rock j)lant, and is addicted to a sand 



