compositjE. 65 



the rays, and the chaff or bristles on the 

 receptacle. The rays are often entirely ab- 

 sent, as in the boneset and thistles, and 

 sometimes all the flowers have rays, as in 

 the chicory and dandelion. Sometimes there 

 is no indication of pappus, and the cliaff is 

 often wanting also. The beauty of the heads 

 of composite flowers is due almost entirely to 

 the conspicuous rays. These rays sometimes 

 contain both stamens and pistils, sometimes 

 only pistils, and sometimes neither. 



Although the Compositae includes such a 

 vast array of plants, inhabiting every cli- 

 mate, there are very few of them which 

 furnish edible or useful products. The im- 

 portant edible species are lettuce, endive, 

 chicory, and salsify or vegetable oyster, and 

 its ally, scorzonera. Most of the species are 

 herbs, a very few attaining the character of 

 low shrubs. If the order lacks in edible or 

 other useful species, it superabounds in or- 

 namental ones. The daisies are all members 

 of the Composite family. Botanically, the 

 daisy is a little European perennial, less 

 than six inches high, which, in its double 

 form, is cultivated in our gardens. Popu- 

 larly, the name is applied to all the white 

 or azure-rayed Compositae which so profusely 



