116 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



from the same point, rather slender, 3 inches to 1 foot higli, with 

 scale-like empty bracts. Antliodes terminal, erect while the flowers 

 are expanded, then drooping, and ultimately erect. Pericline ^ to 

 f inch long ; phyllaries sub-scarious, rather obtuse, slightly hairy 

 except at the tips. Florets of the disk few, those of the ray nume- 

 rous ; all bright-yellow. Style of the disk-flowers scarcely cleft, 

 that of the female florets with 2 rather long oblong-cylindrical 

 obtuse branches. Achenes pale-brown, angular. Pappus pure white, 

 of rough hairs, nearly three times as long as the achene. Plant 

 light-green ; the leaves white when young, and remaining more or 

 less so beneath ; scapes whitish, with t^e scale-like bracts generally 

 reddish, at least at the tips. 



Common Coltsfoot. 



French, Tussilage Pas (TAne. German, Gemeincr Hujlattich. 



This plant has an ancient reputation in medicine. Pliny records its being used 

 for smoking, and recommends it as a remedy for obstinate colds and coughs, and recom- 

 mends both the roots and leaves. The leaves are the basis of the British herb tobacco. 

 Dr. CuUen recommends -their use in scrofulous cases. He says : " The expressed juice of 

 the fresh leaves, taken to some ounces every day, has in several instances occasioned the 

 healing up of scrofulous sores ; and even a strong decoction of the dried leaves, employed 

 as Fuller proposes, seems to liave answered the same purpose." The seeds of this plant 

 are said to be used by the Highlanders for stuffing mattresses ; and the downy substance 

 on the under surface of the leaves, wrapped in rag dipped in a solution of saltpetre and 

 dried in the sun, makes the best tinder. In Johnson's " Useful Plants of Great Britain," 

 ■we are told that the underground stems of the Tussilago preserve their vitality for a 

 long period when buried dee])ly ; so that in places where the plant has not been observed 

 before, it will often spring up in profusion after the ground has been disturbed. In 

 such situations, where the earth is of a loose loamy texture, the plant often does good 

 service by binding the earth with its widely-spread stems ; but in pastures or gardens 

 it is a troublesome weed, very difficult to extirpate when once established. The name 

 Coltsfoot is given to the plant from the shape of the leaf, which is fancifully supposed to 

 resemble the foot of a colt. The specific name Farfara is derived from Farfarus, an 

 ancient name of the white poplar, the leaves of which present some resemblance in form 

 and colour to those of this herb. 



GENUS XXVL—V ETASITES. Tournef. 



Elowers sub-dioecious or polygamo-dioecious ; some individuals 

 with antliodes heterogamous, generally discoid, having in the 

 centre numerous perfect florets (or rather sub-male, as they seldom 

 produce seed), and a few female florets in a single row round the 

 circumference ; others with the anthodes having 1 to 5 sub-male 

 florets in the centre surrounded by numerous rows of female florets. 

 Pericline composed of unequal imbricated phyllaries arranged in 

 2 or 3 rows. Clinanth flat, pitted. Perfect florets with the corolla 

 tubular-campanulate, regular ; female florets with the corolla fill- 



