Tragopogon.] XLIfT. COMPOSITE. 257 



and striate, the slender beak as long as the achene itself, the hairs of 

 the pappus long and very feathery. 



In meadows and rich pastures, throughout Europe and western Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Abundant in Britain, extending far north 

 into Scotland. PL early rummer. [ T. minor, Fries. , with small flowers 

 only half as long in the bracts, is by many regarded as a different 

 species.] 



2. T. porrifolius, Linn. (fig. 579). Purple S., Salsify. It is difficult 

 to assign any positive character to distinguish this from T. pratensis 

 beyond the colour of the florets, which is of a very deep violet-blue or 

 purple. It is generally of more luxuriant growth, the peduncles more 

 thickened at the top, the involucres longer in proportion to the florets, 

 and the beak of the achenes and pappus longer. 



In meadows and pastures, in the Mediterranean region, but only as 

 an introduced plant in central and northern Europe, having been long 

 cultivated for culinary purposes. In Britain, confined to southern Eng- 

 land, where it is established in some localities. Fl. early summer. 



XXX. HELMINTHIA. HELMINTH. 



Habit and pappus of Picris, from which it only differs in the involucre, 

 of which the outer bracts are broadly cordate and leafy, and in the 

 achenes narrowed at the top into a short beak. [In recent botanical 

 works this genus is reduced to Picris.] 



1. H. echioides, Gaertn. (fig. 580). Ox-tongue. A coarse, erect 

 annual or biennial, 1 to 2 or 3 feet high, rough with numerous short, 

 stiff, almost prickly hairs, often hooked as in Picris. Leaves lanceolate, 

 sinuate or coarsely toothed, very rough ; the lower ones narrowed at the 

 base ; the upper ones clasping the stem or shortly decurrent. Flower- 

 heads rather small, rather crowded, on short peduncles, forming an 

 irregular terminal corymb. Outer broad bracts of the involucre 4 or 5, 

 rough like the leaves ; inner ones about 8, lanceolate, and much thinner. 

 Achenes ending in a beak, with a dense, white, feathery pappus. Picrit 

 cchioides, Linn. 



On hedge-banks, edges of fields, and waste places ; common in central 

 and especially southern Europe to the Caucasus, scarcely extending into 

 northern Germany. Dispersed over England and south-east Scotland ; 

 east Ireland rare. PI. summer and autumn. 



XXXI. PICRIS. PICRIS. 



Coarse, hispid herbs, with toothed leaves, and rather small heads of 

 yellow flowers, in a loose, irregular corymb. Involucre of several nearly 

 equal, erect, inner bracts, with 2 or 3 outer rows of smaller ones, usually 

 spreading. Achenes transversely striated, not beaked, with a whitish 

 pappus, of which the inner hairs at least are feathery. 



A genus containing but few species, natives of Europe and temperate 

 Asia, having much the appearance of ffieracium and Crepit, but readily 

 distinguished by the feathery pappus. 



1. P. hieracioides, Lina (fig. 581). Ifau-l-weed P. A biennial, 1 to 

 3 or 3 feet high, covered with short, rough hairs, most of which are 



