COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 



pulrerulentus, Boiss. et Bl. 5 -3 to 



405 



5, shrubby at 



5. P 



base, crisp-tomeatellous, whitish; branches 3-5-heacled. Leaves laa 

 ceolatein outline, .03 to .06 long, .005 to .01 broad, pinnatipartite into 

 short, ovate-oblong, denticulate or entire lobes. luvolucre a little shorter 

 than flowers ; crown of involucel short, crisp-hairy ; awns 16 or less 

 — Spring — iiauian ; Snou Fadil to Palmyra, and eastward to Mesopo- 

 tamia. 



Order LVI. COMPOSITiE, Vaill. (Composite Family). 



Floioerets in a close head (comjpound flower) upon a 

 common receptacle, surrounded hy an involucre, with 5 

 (rarely 4J stamens inserted on the corolla, the anthers 

 united in a tube (syngenesious) — Flowerets perfect, or bj 

 abortion imperfect. Receptacle naked, bristly, or chaffy; 

 involucre usually of many scales. Calyx-tube united with 

 the 1-celled ovary, the limb (pappus) 0, or consisting of 

 teeth, bristles, awns, scales, or a cup. Corolla gamopetalous, 

 inserted on the calyx-tube, strap-shaped or tubular, the 

 tubular with a 4-5 rarely 2-3-lobed limb. Stamens alternate 

 with corolla-lobes ; anthers usually appendaged at tip. Styles 

 2-clef t at tip. Fruit an akene, containing a single, anatropous 

 seed, with no albumen. An immense order, chiefly herbs. 

 The strap-shaped or ligulate flowerets are called rays, and a 

 head containing such flowers is called radiate. The tubular 

 flowerets compose the dislz, and a head with no ray flowers 

 is called discoid. The leaves or parts of the involucre are 

 called scales. The chaff of the pappus is called j?a;Z^5, 



Fig. 231. 



g h, c d t f 



(a) Syngenesious stamens of a composite floweret, (b) The same split and unfolded, 

 ihowing the coherent anthers, with their appendages, and free filaments, (c) Fruit of a 

 floweret, destitute of caiyx-margin. (d'_f ) Fruits with calyx margin, (d) cup-shaped, (e) 

 of two pales, (/) ot five pales, (^) of many awns or bristles inserted at apex of fruit, 

 (h) of many bristles inserted at apex of a beak. 



