48 FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS. 



silky whiteness forms a noticeable feature. Each head of 

 flowers and each leaf springs directly from the root. The 

 plant is full of a bitter and milky juice, which, when it 

 comes in contact with the hand, turns to a brown stain that 

 is rather difficult of removal. The young leaves when 

 blanched lose much of their bitterness, and are not alto- 

 gether unlike endive in flavour, and two or three young 

 leaves, even in the green state, form a pleasant addition to 

 a salad. The roots are sometimes roasted, and employed 

 as a substitute for coffee, though from their somewhat 

 powerful medicinal qualities some little care is requisite in 

 their use. 



