196 COMMON WEEDS 



long, the upper ones being acute. The pink or reddish 

 flowers, i to J inch across, are in terminal cymes. The 

 plant blooms between June and September, and occurs 

 in dry calcareous and sandy pastures and waste land. It 

 is a very bitter annual ; regular cutting to prevent 

 seeding reduces it. 



Field Gentian (Gentiana campestris L.), an annual of 

 6 to 12 inches in height, produces in July to October 

 panicles of stalked lilac or bluish flowers 1 to 1 inch 

 in diameter. The leaves are opposite and lanceolate. 

 This plant is sometimes very common on hilly pastures. 

 If too plentiful, regular cutting to prevent seeding 

 will reduce it. 



BORAGINE^E 



Common Comfrey (Syniphytum officinale L.) is a coarse, 

 rough perennial herb i to 3 feet in height, with branched, 

 fleshy, brittle roots, pieces of which will grow when 

 broken off. The stem is branched and angular, with 

 ovate-lanceolate leaves 4 to 8 inches long. The flowers 

 may be white, pink, or purple, and are in drooping 

 clusters. Flowering, May to June. This plant grows 

 most freely in damp soils near streams and in gardens. 

 The root system renders it difficult of eradication, and 

 in grass land it must be regularly and persistently 

 mown down and better herbage encouraged. In gar- 

 dens, good cultivation and careful removal of the roots 

 must be practised. Horses and other stock are fond of 

 the plant in a green state. 



PLANTAGINE^E 



Plantains (Plantago sp.) are well known to most 

 farmers and gardeners. The following three species 

 are very troublesome in grass land : 



i. The Ribwort Plantain or Rib-grass (P. lanceolala 



