Taraxacum. | COMPOSITE. 387 
1. T. officinale, Wigg. Prim. Fil. Holsat. 56.— Root long, 
stout, black. Leaves very variable, 2-6in. long, oblanceolate or 
_linear - obovate or spathulate, sinuate - toothed or runcinate - pin- 
natifid, with broad triangular lobes pointing downwards, terminal 
lobe larger, usually rounded. Scapes 2-8in. high. Head 4-14 in. 
diam. Involucre campanulate ; inner bracts linear, often thickened 
towards the tip; outer shorter and broader, erect or reflexed. 
Achenes narrow-obovoid, ribbed, the ribs muricate above the middle, 
beak long, equalling or exceeding the achene itself.— Hook. f. Fl. 
Nov. Zel. i. 152; Kirk, Students’ Fl. 361. T. dens leonis, Desf. 
Fi. Atlant. ii. 228; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fil. 165. 
NortH anp SourH Istanps: Not uncommon throughout, ascending to 
4000 ft. Dandelion. November-—February. 
A very variable plant. The large lowland forms, common in pastures or in 
rich cultivated soils, are probably introduced; but the small mountain state, 
with small leaves, slender scapes sometimes barely 2in. high, and heads 
4-2in. diam., is certainly indigenous, as it was collected by Banks and 
Solander. 
26. SONCHUS, Tourn. 
Erect leafy annual or perennial succulent herbs, juice milky. 
Leaves alternate or radical, entire or toothed or pinnatifid ; cauline 
often amplexicaul. Heads peduncled, in terminal irregularly 
branched corymbs or panicles, homogamous. Involucre ovoid, 
usually becoming conical after flowering; bracts imbricated in 
several series, the outer smaller. Receptacle flat, naked. Florets 
all ligulate. Anthers shortly tailed at the base. Achenes ovoid or 
ellipsoid, more or less compressed, ribbed and often transversely 
rugose, not beaked. Pappus-hairs copious, in many series, soft, 
white, simple. ; 
Species from 24 to 28, mostly natives of the temperate regions of the 
Northern Hemisphere ; a few spread over the whole world, but probably natural- 
ised in many districts. One of the New Zealand species is endemic, the two 
others are cosmopolitan. 
* Annual. 
Upper leaves amplexicaul, with rounded auricles. 
Achenes longitudinally ribbed, not transversely 
wrinkled .. ae 16 af ae .. i. S.asper. 
Upper leaves amplexicaul, with acute auricles. Achenes 
longitudinally ribbed and transversely wrinkled .. 2. S. oleraceus. 
** Perennial, 
Leaves large, 1-23 ft. long. Heads 1-1din. diam., pur- 
plish ; pedicels cottony 3. S. grandifolius. 
1. S. asper, Hill, Herb. Brit. i. 47.—A tall succulent annual 
herb 2-3 ft. high, with a hollow grooved stem, glabrous or sparsely 
glandular above. Leaves lanceolate, entire or toothed or pinnatifid ; 
