188 SYNGENESIA. 



that order in having a partial perianth to each floret. In all 

 the other plants of this class the florets are destitute of any 

 thing like a distinct calyx. 



ORDER I. SYNGENESIA ^EQUALIS. 

 Flowers of the disk and ray all perfect. 

 JEqualis signifies equal, in reference to the presence of 

 both pistils and stamens by which this order is distinguished. 

 It is commonly divided into sections, as A, B, and C. 



A. Florets all ligulate. Ex. Lettuce, Dandelion. 



B. Flowers in heads. Ex. Burdock, Thistle. 



C. Florets tubular, forming a disk without rays. Ex. 

 Boneset, (Eupatorium.) 



GENUS Tragopogon. Goat's beard. Name from tragos, 

 a goat, and pogon, a beard. Salsify, ( Tragopogon porrifolius,) 

 is the only one of this species that is useful. It has a long, 

 tapering, small, white root, which has the taste of oysters, 

 and hence is called the vegetable oyster. It is a biennial 

 garden plant, bearing a purple flower, and is cultivated pre- 

 cisely in the same manner as the parsnip and carrot. In the 

 fall, the roots being first boiled, and then mixed with batter 

 and fried, form a dish much like oyster fritters in taste. 



To this order belong Lettuce, (Lactuca,) Thistle, (Carduus,) 

 Horse Thistle, (Cnicus,) Burdock, (Arctium,) and a great 

 ariety of other common plants which it is unnecessary to 

 specify. 



GENUS Lactuca. Lettuce. Name from lac, milk, on ac- 

 count of the milky juice, which flows copiously when any 

 part of the plant is cut. 



Common Lettuce, (Lactuca sativa,) is the best known and 

 most universal of all salads. Like many other favorite do- 

 mestic plants, its native country is unknown. The garden 

 species is supposed, however, to come from the Lactuca 

 virosa, a poisonous plant, and to have been changed to its 

 edible state by cultivation. All the species contain more or 

 less of the narcotic property, and if the milky juice of the 

 garden kinds be collected and dried, it forms tolerable opium, 



What is the character of the first order ? What distinguishes the florets 

 of the section A ? And what plants are examples? How is section B dis- 

 tinguished ? How is section C distinguished ? And what are the exam- 

 ples ? What is said of the genus Tragopogon ? What is the botanical 

 name of lettuce, and whence does it derive its name ? 



