142 FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



The Great Valerian or All-heal ( Valeriana officinalis — order 

 Valerianacece) is moderately common in moist woods, and is rather 

 widely distributed. It is an erect plant, from two to fom- feet high, 

 flowering from June to August. There seems to be two distinct 

 varieties of this plant, one Avith from four to six pairs of leaflets, 

 and the other with from six to ten pairs, in addition to the terminal 

 leaflet in each case. The flowers are small, flesh-coloured or nearly 

 white, in terminal and axillary corymbs. The little inferior ovary 

 is surmounted by a calyx which is compactly rolled in at first, 

 but wliich expands into a spreading, feathery pappus as the fruit 

 ripens. The corolla is tubular, with five short, equal, spreading 

 lobes. It is not spurred as in the case of the Red Valerian (p. 302), 

 but the base of the tube is pouched on one side. This plant is 

 shoAvn on Plate II, Fig. 1. 



We have now to note some composite flowers (order Compositce) 

 of wooded and shaded ground. Of these we will first take the 

 Blunt-leaved or Succory-leaved Hawk's-beard {Crepis succiscefolia 

 or C. hieracoides), which is moderately common in the woods of 

 North England and Scotland, but does not occur in the South. It 

 is an erect plant, varying from one to three feet in height, smooth 

 or shghtly hairy, flowering during July and August. The fruits 

 (achenes) are marked by many fine, longitudinal ridges, and are 

 surmounted by a dense pappus of soft, white hairs which are a Uttle 

 longer than the fruits themselves. This flower is represented in 

 Plate II, Fig. 3. 



In the woods and thickets of nearly all parts of Britain we may 

 see the Saw-wort [Serratula tinctoria), a stiff, erect, smooth plant, 

 from one to thi-ee feet high, flowering in August and September. 

 The flower-heads are pmple or crimson, forming a loose, terminal 

 corymb ; and the florets, all of which are tubular, are imperfect, 

 the males and females being generally on different plants. The 

 involucre is oblong in form, more than half an inch long, consisting 

 of many pointed, closely-placed bracts, of which the inner are usually 

 tipped with red ; and that of the male heads Ls somewhat broader 

 than the involucre of the females. The pappus consists of a tuft 

 of simple hairs, most of which are longer than the achene. 



The Golden Rod {Solidago Virga-aurea) is another abundant 

 flower, found in dry woods and thickets in all parts. It is a tufted 

 plant, with stiff, erect, angular, slightly-branched stems, varying 

 from six inches to two feet in height ; and narrow-eUiptical leaves, 

 entire or slightly toothed, the lower ones stalked. The flowers 



