COMPOSITE 



9i 



stalk stands a single large flower-head, with white 

 rays and a yellow centre. The seeds are black, 

 lined with white, and end in a small yellow 

 knob. 



The Ox-eye Daisy grows to a height of 2 feet ; 

 but there are two other common plants which 

 much resemble it in their flowers, with yellow 

 centres and white rays. One is the Chamomile 

 {Anthemis nobilis), which is common on waste 

 ground, and may be recognised by its branching 

 stem, bipinnate leaves, and peculiar odour. There 

 are several other British species of Chamomile 

 belonging to the genera AntJumis and Matricaria. 

 The centre of the flower-head is always yellow, but 

 the ray is white in some species and yellow in others. 

 Chamomile tea is a household remedy for colds, 

 but if drunk too freely will act as an emetic. An 

 infusion of the flowers is sometimes used as an 

 eye-wash, and a poultice of the flowers is used to 

 relieve toothache or neuralgia. 



The Daisy (Bellis perennis) grows everywhere 

 in short grass, and has rather long, slightly dentated 

 leaves, and flowers on long stalks, which grow to 



the height of from 2 to 6 inches. The flowers are 

 yellow-centred, with white rays more or less tipped 

 with pink. 



Arnica — Arnica montana. 



(Plate LI) 



This is not a British plant, but is found in open 

 places in woods in hilly districts in various parts 

 of Europe. It flowers in June and July. The 

 stem is round, upright, and somewhat hairy and 

 viscous. At the root is a rosette of three or four 

 sessile, oval, and pointed leaves, not dentated, but 

 clothed with hairs on both sides, not unlike the 

 root-leaves of the plantains. The ray-flowers are 

 large, and are tridentate at the extremity. The 

 bracts of the involucre are reddish at the tips, and 

 the seeds are surmounted with a hairy pappus. 

 The flowers turn towards the sun, like the large 

 yellow American Sunflower {Helianthus tinnitus), 

 which derives its name from this habit. The seeds 

 of the Sunflower yield an oil very similar to olive 

 oil. Arnica lotion is much used to apply to bruises, 



