320 COMPOSITE. 



where the outer florets, which are larger than the inner, 

 are destitute both of stamens and pistils ; the stigma is 

 jointed on the style. The flowers are purple, with a 

 tendency to vary into white ; but in Carline-Thistle 

 (Carlina) they are "brownish yellow ; in Corn-flower 

 (Centaurea Cyanus) bright blue. In III. TUBIFLOR^ 

 (Tansy Group) all the florets are tubular and perfect, 

 and form a flat head ; the style passes into the stigma 

 without a joint ; the flowers are mostly yellow ; but 

 Hemp-Agrimony (Eupatorium canndbinum) has lilac 

 flowers ; Butter-bur (Petasites vulgdris) pale flesh- 

 coloured, and in most species of Artemisia, Gnaphdlium, 

 and Fildgo, the colour is determined rather by the invo- 

 lucre than the florets. In IV. KADIAT.E (Daisy Group) 

 the florets are of two kinds ; those of the centre, or disk, 

 being tubular and perfect, those of the margin, or ray, 

 strap-shaped, and having pistils only. The prevailing 

 colour of the disk is yellow, Yarrow (Achillea) being 

 the only exception, in which all the florets are white ; 

 the ray is either of the same colour, as in Coitus-foot 

 (Tussildgo), Golden-rod (Soliddgo), Rag- wort and Flea- 

 wort (Senecio), Leopard' s-Bane (Doronicum), Elecampane 

 (inula), Flea-bane (Pulicaria), Corn-Marigold (Chrys- 

 anthemum segetum), and Ox-eye Chamomile (Anthe- 

 mis tinctoria) \ white, as in Daisy (Bellis), Feverfew 

 and Mayweed (Matricaria), Ox-eye (Chrysanthemum 

 Leucdnthemum), and several species of Chamomile 

 (Anthemis) ; or purple, as in Starwort (Aster), and 

 Erigeron. In Groundsel (Senecio vulgdris) the ray is 

 never perfected. 



The limits of the Order COMPOSITE are exactly the 

 same as those of the Linnean Class SYNGENESIA ; but 

 the number of plants belonging to it exceeds the amount 

 of all the plants known to Linnceus, so extensive have 

 been the researches in Botany since his time. Accord- 

 ing to Lindley, the number of genera alone amounts to 

 1,005 ; of species to 9,000 ; the whole number of plants 

 known to Linnaeus being but 8,500. It is supposed 



