5 8 FLOWERS OF THE FIELDS AND MEADOWS 



Hoss-daisy, Magweed, Maudlinwort, Mayweed, Moon, Moonflower, 

 Moon-pennies, Dutch Morgan, Ox-eye, Moon Penny, Poverty Weed. 



From its size and coarseness it is called Horse Daisy, and Mid- 

 summer Daisy from its flowering about Midsummer, Poorland Daisy 

 from its growth on poor clay lands. 



Though horses and sheep eat it, other animals will not touch it. 

 The leaves are unpleasant, the smell aromatic, the taste neither hot 

 nor biting. This plant was used in diseases of the chest, asthma, 

 phthisis, and as a diuretic. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



1 60. Chrysanthemum Leucantkemum, L. Leaves mostly radical, 

 lower petiolate, upper pinnatifid, sessile, obovate, ray florets white, 

 disk yellow, phyllaries with narrow, purple, membranous border 



Knapweed (Centaurea nigra, L.) 



Knapweed is well distributed at the present day throughout 

 Europe. In N. America it is an introduction. No traces of it occur 

 in any ancient deposit, in spite of its being so common to-day. 



It is found in every district in Great Britain, and ascends to 

 1600 ft. in Northumberland. 



No meadow would be complete without a sprinkling of the dark 

 heads of Knapweed in summer. It is a plant that grows along every 

 wayside, and is found on hills and dry pastures in great abundance, 

 being addicted to both wet and dry ground. 



The wiry hard stems of Knapweed are a familiar sight in a hay- 

 field scattered here and there, and when in flower the plant is easily 

 recognized. The stems are very erect and either simple or branched, 

 furrowed, the branches bearing a single head of flowers. 



In the autumn the prevalent habit is characterized by the half-erect 

 branches. The lower leaves are angular, divided, with the lobes 

 enlarged upwards, on long stalks, toothed, and the upper ones are 

 without stalks, egg-shaped, entire. 



The flowers or "hard heads" are purple with bractlike scales fringed 

 with hairs at the margin, brownish-black, and egg-shaped, narrowly 

 elliptical. The flowers differ, in some instances possessing a ray or 

 not. The hair or pappus is short, or wanting. The fruit is grey, 

 oblong, and downy. 



The plant grows to the height of 1-2 ft. It is usually in flower 

 in June, continuing late in the autumn, and even when frosts are 

 frequent. It is perennial, and may be propagated by seeds. 



