GAMOPETALE 147 
habit. They are oblong, obovate, glabrous, runcinate, 
toothed, dark green, with a distinct midrib, and the 
leaf-segments are recurved. 
The flower heads are large and yellow, and broad, 
borne on hollow milky scapes, usually glabrous, and 
single. The outer phyllaries are reflexed, usually in 
some forms erect or imbricate. 
The head is globular. The downy pappus 1s 
stalked, the receptacle convex, punctate. The sul- 
cate achenes are incurved. 
The Dandelion is about 8 in. in height. Though 
perennial, it flowers from March or April to 
October. 
In the capitulum there are 1oo to 200 florets, and 
it is very conspicuous. There is abundant honey, 
which rises high up in the tube. In the sun the 
flowers expand widely, but close up at night and 
when it is wet. In the absence of insects the flower 
is self-pollinated. There are 24,000 grains of pollen 
in each flower-head. The style nearly fills the tube. 
Short-lipped insects can reach the honey. The 
cylinder is exserted from the tube. The style is 
covered with pointed hairs often covered in pollen, 
which is swept out of the cylinder. The lobes of 
the stigma are covered with papille and are reflexed, 
and make 14 spiral turns. As it flowers very early 
and late in the year, the power of self-pollination is 
an advantage. The honey bee and numerous others, 
flies, butterflies and beetles visit it. 
The seeds, being provided with a pappus, are blown 
