COMPOUND FLOWERS 179 



marked with slight ridges, and a variety of the plant rarely occurs in which 

 the flowers are without rays. 



7. Marsh Ragwort {S. aqudticiis). — Ray spreading ; leaves lyre-shaped ; 

 serrated, smooth, the lowest undivided, and inversely egg-shaped ; involucre 

 hemispherical ; fruit smooth ; perennial. This species is very much like 

 the Common Ragwort, but is plainly distinguished by its less divided leaves. 

 The yellow flowers occur, from July to September, on wet places, and by the 

 margins of rivers ; they arc larger than those of the last species. 



* * * Heads with a spreading ray ; leaves undivided, or nearly so. 



8. Great Fen Ragwort (*S'. pahiddsiis). — Leaves sessile, somewhat clasp- 

 ing, lanceolate, sharply serrate, cottony beneath ; stem straight, hollow, rather 

 woolly ; corymbs terminal ; bracts awl-shaped ; perennial. This is a very 

 rare plant of fen ditches. Its stem is from four to six feet high, and both 

 flowers and foliage large. Its yellow blossoms expand in June and July, 

 having narrow rays from thirteen to sixteen in number. It is found in 

 Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suftblk and the Chaimel Islands. 



9. Broad-leaved Ragwort (S. saradniciis). — Leaves sessile, lanceolate, 

 acute, smooth, irregularly serrate with small teeth ; stem straight, solid ; 

 corymbs terminal ; perennial. The yellow flowers of this species are much 

 smaller than those of the last, but the florets of the ray are far broader, and 

 are about six or seven in number ; these are sometimes wanting. The stem is 

 from three to five feet high, and the leaves broad. This plant is an outcast of 

 gardens, which has become naturalized by the sides of rivers, and in other wet 

 places. It is found on some moist meadows of England, Ireland and Scotland, 

 flowering in June and July, but is very local. This plant was esteemed by 

 the Saracens as a vulnerary, hence its specific name ; and it was also termed 

 Saracens' Consound, Saracens' Comfrey, Herha fortis, and by the Dutch, 

 JFundkraut. It was probal:)ly introduced by the Crusaders, and cultivated in 

 the monastery gardens, as most of the places in which it is found are near old 

 monastic institutions. It is not often seen in modern gardens, though some 

 handsome species of the genus are cultivated. The double-flowered variety 

 of *S^. ilegans is a greenhouse favourite ; and a number of the Groundsel family, 

 especially those having rays of various purple hues, are common border 

 flowers. The Groundsels are found of some species or other in every part of 

 the world. Humboldt remarks, that they are very numerous in the upper 

 regions of the Andes, " just below the limits of eternal mow, where the sun 

 has little power, where hurricanes are incessant, and where not a tree is able 

 to rear its head." Gerarde said of the Broad-leaved Ragwort, " It is not 

 inferior to any of the wound-herbes whatsoever, being inwardly ministered, 

 or outwardly applied in oyntments or oyles." He also relates how he cured 

 by its use a gentleman who was "grievously wounded in the lungs, and that, 

 by God's permission, in a short space." 



10. Marsh Fleawort (^S*. palustris). — Shaggy; stem much branched and 

 corymbose above ; leaves broadly half-clasping, lower leaves deeply toothed ; 

 fruit smooth; perennial. This plant has, in June and July, erect heads 

 of bright yellow florets, about twenty forming the ray. Its stem is three or 



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