248 COMPOSITiE 



then the two kinds of flowers may occur on the same plant 

 {moncEcious), or on different ones {dioecious). The 5 epipetalous 

 stamens usually have their filaments free but their anthers united 

 (syngenesious), and there is often a tail-like appendage at the base 

 ot" each anther-chamber. There are two carpels united to form a 

 7-chambered, inferior ovary, with i style, generally bifurcating 

 above, the stigmas lining the inner surface of the fork. The tube 

 of syngenesious anthers in the perfect florets is generally formed 

 before the elongation of the style, which then grows up through 

 it, sweeping the pollen out of the anthers by means of tufts of 

 expelling hairs at the summit of its two branches, which do not 

 diverge till afterwards. The fruit is a cypsele, or dry, indehiscent, 

 i-chambered, i-seeded structure, often crowned by the pappus. 



For convenience of reference, the Order is divided into three 

 Sub-orders, comprising thirteen Tribes ; but one of the Sub-orders 

 and five of the Tribes contain no British plants, or any others of 

 great interest. The two Sub-orders represented in Britain are 

 the TubuliflorcB and the LigulifiorcB. In the TubuliflorcB the florets 

 are either all tubular and perfect, or the disk-florets are tubular 

 and the ray-florets ligulate, the former being generally perfect and 

 the latter carpellate or neuter. The members of this Sub-order 

 have a watery juice. The Sub-order Liguliflorce have all their 

 florets ligulate and perfect, and have a milky juice. They are 

 most abundant in the temperate regions of the Northern 

 Hemisphere ; the Tubuliflorce in the Tropics. 



The Tubuliflorce contain a variety of principles, so variously 

 blended as to produce very diverse results. Bitterness, in a 

 greater or less degree, is characteristic of many, and is often 

 accompanied by the presence of resin, or volatile oil, so that the 

 plants produce tonic, stimulant, or astringent effects. The Worm- 

 woods (Artemisia), of which the Southernwood of gardens (A. 

 Abrotanum), a fragrant shrub, used on the Continent in making 

 beer, is one species, and the Tarragon {A. Dracunculus), used to 

 flavour vinegar, is another, are extremely bitter. The genera 

 Jnthejnis and Matricaria, the Chamomiles and Feverfews, contain 

 an acrid volatile oil that gives them their properties as febrifuges. 

 The Coltsfoot (Tussildgo) and Elecampane (Inuhz Helenium) 

 contain gum so united with their bitter and astringent properties 

 as to render them valuable sedatives. The oily seeds of the 

 Sunflower {Helidnthus dnnuus) are largely eaten in Russia, and 

 the Jerusalem Artichoke, the tubers of which hold a high rank 

 among our esculent vegetables, is another species {H. tuberosus) 

 of the same genus. The latter grows freely in any soil, and 

 produces abundance of tubers, though it rarely flowers in England. 



