180 



FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



deeply divided, but always more or less toothed ; and the teeth 

 often terminate in sharp prickles. The upper ones clasp the stem, 

 and have spreading, arrow-shaped ears. The stem is branched 

 and hollow ; and the fruit is ribbed and transversely WTinkled. 



The second is the Common Sow-thistle {S. asper) — a very similar 

 plant, but may be distinguished by its leaves, which are more 

 spinously toothed, with rounded ears. In this one the fruits are 



also ribbed, but they are 

 not wrinkled transversely. 

 The Smooth Hawk's- 

 beard {Crepis virens) has a 

 fmTowed, branched stem, 

 from a few inches to tliree 

 feet in height. Its spread- 

 ing radical leaves are deep- 

 ly toothed, and narrower 

 towards the base ; and the 

 stem leaves are narrow 

 and sagittate. The 

 numerous small heads of 

 yellow flowers are panicled, 

 and the outer florets are 

 often tinged with red. The 

 heads are surrounded by 

 two rows of bracts, the 

 outer of which are shorter 

 and narrower, and the 

 whole involucre assumes a 

 conical form after flower- 

 ing. The fruit is shorter 

 than the pappus ; tapering, 

 but not beaked ; and the pappus consists of several rows of 

 unbranched, silky haks. This plant flowers during July and 

 August. It is very common on waste land, and may be frequently 

 seen growing on old walls, and even on the roofs of country 

 cottages and out-houses. 



The genus Hieracium (Hawk weeds) is a puzzle not only to 

 the beginner, but also to experienced botanists, who have not 

 yet agreed as to its division into species. According to some 

 authorities these latter amount to seven, but they, or rather some of 

 them, are so variable, and present so many intermediate characters, 



The Sharp-fringed Sow-thtstle. 



