CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



receptacle, surrounded by an involucre, as exem- 

 plified in the common daisy and dandelion.* As 

 the compound leaf is composed of a number of 

 leaflets, so is the composite flower made up of a 

 number of florets arranged on one receptacle, 

 which is furnished with a calyx-like involucre. 

 Each floret is complete in itself, having all the 

 appendages of bracts, calyx, corolla, stamens, and 

 pistil, although the calyx is in a much reduced 

 state, appearing in the form of bristly hairs. The 

 corolla is monopetalous, and either ligulate, tubular, 

 or bilabiate that is, has two equal lips cut into 

 several lobes. The stamens are equal in number 

 to the teeth of the corolla, and alternate with 

 them ; the anthers grow together, so as to form a 

 kind of cylinder, through which passes the style, 

 ending in a two-lobed stigma. The ovary is 

 inferior, one-celled, with a single erect ovule. The 

 fruit is an achene, which retains the pappus when 

 ripe, and falls without opening; the appearance 

 of this pappus or down is familiarly illustrated in 

 the head of the ripe dandelion. 



The order has been divided into three sections : 

 I. Cichoracea, in which all the florets are ligulate 

 and perfect. 2. Corymbifera:, most of the florets 

 tubular, all hermaphrodite, or those of the cir- 

 cumference filiform or tubular, and pistiliferous or 

 ligulate ; style, not jointed. 3. Cynarocephalcz, all 

 the florets tubular ; style, jointed. The Composite 

 plants are widely scattered over the globe, forming, 

 according to some authorities, one-twelfth of its 

 vegetable productions. Humboldt states that they 

 constitute one-seventh of the flowering-plants of 

 France, one-eighth of those of Germany, one- 

 fifteenth of those of Lapland, a sixteenth of those 

 of New Holland, a sixth of the North American 

 Flora, and one-half of that of America within the 

 tropics. The Composites are herbaceous in the 

 colder quarters of the globe, and become shrubby 

 as we approach the equator. 



The Cichoraceae are well illustrated by the 

 common lettuce (Lactuca), the dandelion (Taraxa- 

 cutn), the succory (Cichorium], and the sow-thistle 

 (Sonchus), which are common British plants. All 

 the members of this section yield a milky juice, 

 which is bitter, astringent, and slightly narcotic. 

 Many of them are used in medicine as the lettuce, 

 from which the narcotic and diuretic Lactucarium 

 is obtained. Many are also used as articles of 

 food ; thus, endive (Cichorium Endivia) is em- 

 ployed as a salad ; so is the garden lettuce when 

 young, the root of the sonchus, and perhaps, more 

 than all, the root of C. Intybus, or wild succory, 

 which is roasted and largely mingled with coffee 

 under the name of chicory. The Corymbiferae, 

 which have the central florets tubular, and the 

 outer ones generally ligulate, are illustrated by the 

 daisy (Bellis perennis], the chamomile (fig.) (An- 

 themis nobilis), the groundsel (Senecio), the tansy 

 (Tanacetum vulgar e), dahlia, marigold, &c. The 

 juice of this section is watery; sometimes bitter 

 and tonic, and sometimes acrid. Many of them 

 contain volatile oils, which are used for various 

 purposes, and some yield yellow and other dyes. 

 Among the most useful of the section may be men- 

 tioned the Jerusalem artichoke, wormwood, cham- 

 omile, tansy, and arnica the last much employed 

 in homoeopathic practice ; indeed, most of the 

 Corymbifehe are of medicinal value. Cynaro- 

 cephalce. The plants of this division are bitter and 

 tonic. By cultivation, this bitterness is lessened, 



100 



and they become edible. The section may be 

 illustrated by the cardoon and common artichoke, 



Chamomile. 



all the thistles (Carduus), the burdock (Arctiunt), 

 the bluebottles (Centaurea), the safflower (Cartha- 

 mus). The properties of the artichoke are well 

 known, as are also those of the carthamus, which 

 is used in dyeing as well as in medicine. The 

 thistle is chiefly interesting as being emblematical 

 of Scotland ; but neither antiquaries nor botanists 

 have been able to discover with certainty the 

 species entitled to the appellation of the Scotch 

 thistle. Onopordum Acanthium adorns the grave 

 of Burns in Dumfries, and is usually employed in 

 national demonstrations ; but Burns had another 

 species in view as the ' bur-thistle' namely, Car- 

 duus lanceolatus. Others prefer the milk-thistle 

 and so far as the figures on the coins of the Scotch 

 kings indicate a special species, the milk-thistle 

 appears to be the one indicated. 



COROLLIFLOR-fc. 



In this section the flowers are dichlamydeous, 

 the petals united into a tube, hypogynous, stamens 

 inserted in the corolla (or in the first four orders 

 arising directly from the receptacle). The plants 

 may usually be recognised by the corolla appearing 

 to consist of one piece, the petals being united 

 (gamopetalous). Many of the orders have regular 

 flowers, but a large number have them two-lipped, 

 and therefore irregular, such as the Foxglove, 

 labiate plants, and Acanthi. 



The following are the orders contained in this 

 section : 



*Ericacex Heathworts. 

 *Pyrolacese Winter-greens. 

 *Montropaceae Fir-rapes. 



Epacridaceae Epacrids. 



Ebenaceae Ebony ordtr. 

 *Aquifoliaceae Holly order. 



Sapotaceae Sapotads. 



Myrsinacese Myrsine order 



Jasminaceae Jasmines. 

 *Oleaceae Olives. 



Salvadpracese Salvadora order. 



Asclepiadaceae Asclepiads. 

 *Apocynaceae Dogbanes. 



Loganiacex Strychnads. 

 *Gentianace;e Gentian worts. 



Bignoniaceae Trumpet-flowers. 



Gesneracese Gesnerads. 



Crescentiaceae Calabashes. 



Pedaliaceae Pedalium order. 

 *Polemoniaceae Phlox order. 



Hydrophyllaceae Water- 

 leaves. 



Diapensiacese Diapensia order. 



Convolvulaceae Bindweeds. 



Cuscutacese Dodders. 



Cordiaceae Sebestens. 



Boraginaceae Borageworts. 



Ehretiacea; Ehretia order. 



Nolanaceae Nolana order. 



Solanaceae Potato order. 



'Atropaceae Nightshades. 



Orobanchaceae Broom-rapes. 



'Scrophulariaceae Figworts. 

 Labials or Lamiaceas Dead- 

 nettles. 

 *Verbenacese Verbenas. 



Stilbacese Stilbids. 



Selaginaceae or Globulariaceae 

 Selagids. 



Acanthaceae Acanthads. 



* Lentibulariaceae Butterworts. 



* Primulaceae Primroses. 

 *Plumbaginaceae Leadworts. 

 *Plantaginaceae Ribworts. 



