WASTES AND WAYSIDES IN SUMMER 



179 



Another Lettuce, known as the Prickly Lettuce {L. Scariola), is 

 somewhat rare. It is really less prickly than the last species, but 

 is equally tall, and flowers during the same months. Its leaves 

 are erect, lanceo- 

 late, sagittate, 

 with a wavy mar- 

 gin; and the upper 

 ones clasp the 

 stem. The fruit 

 of this species is of 

 a greyish colour, 

 and has a beak of 

 the same length. 



Two species 

 o f Sow-thistle 

 (genus Sonchus) 

 are included 

 among our way- 

 side Composites. 

 They are erect, 

 succulent plants, 

 from two to three 

 feet in height, 

 with a milky 

 juice, and either 

 toothed or pinna - 

 tifid leaves. Their 

 flower-heads are 

 yellow, arranged 

 in a corymb, and 

 bloom during the 

 whole of the sum- 

 mer. Each head 

 is surrounded by 

 several rows of 

 overlapping 

 bracts, and the receptacle is flat and pitted. The fruits are 

 considerably flattened, without beaks ; and the pappus consists 

 of several rows of fine, silky, unbranched hairs. 



One species is known as the Sharp-fringed Sow-thistle or the 

 Common Milk-thistle [S. oleraceus). Its leaves are sometimes 



N 2 



The Prickly Lettuce. 



