MEADOWS, FIELDS AND PASTURES— SUMMER 225 



closely-overlapping bracts, the visible portions of which are dark 

 brown or black fringes. The florets are generally all equal, but 

 the outer ones are sometimes larger than the others, and sterile. 



The Great Knapweed {Centaur ea Scabiosa) is a somewhat similar 

 plant, but usually larger, its 

 stout, branched stem being 

 generally two or tliree feet 

 high. It may be easily dis- 

 tinguished by its larger 

 flower-heads, the outer, 

 neuter florets of which are 

 considerably enlarged. As 

 a rule the florets are all 

 purple, but occasionally all 

 are white, or the outer ones 

 white and the others purple. 

 The bracts of the involucre 

 are broad, with a green 

 centre and a dark, downy 

 margin. The fruit is sur- 

 mounted by a pappus of 

 stiff, bristly hairs of about 

 its own length. This plant 

 is common in the south of 

 Britain, and flowers during 

 July and August. 



Two species of Fleabane 

 have to be noticed. They 

 belong to the genus Inula, 

 and are distinguished by a 

 distinct division of the flower- 

 head into disc and ray, and 

 also by two minute ' tails ' 

 at the bottom of the 

 anthers. 



One of these is the Common Fleabane (7. dysenterica) — a woolly 

 plant, abundant in the moist pastures of the southern counties, 

 flowering from July to September. Its erect stem is loosely branched, 

 from six inches to two feet high. The leaves are oblong and wavy — 

 the lower ones stalked, and the upper clasping the stem with 

 rounded lobes at the base. The flower-heads are yellow, about 



Q 



The Meadow Thistle. 



