36 Flowers and their Pedigrees. 



numerous, both in individuals, in species, and in 

 genera, than any other family of flowering plants. In 

 fact, they are undoubtedly the dominant tribe of the 

 whole vegetable kingdom. When I say that in 

 Britain alone they number no less than 120 species, 

 including such common and universal weeds as the 

 daisy, dandelion, thistles, groundsel, camomile, milfoil, 

 hawkweed, and burdock, it will be clear that nine out of 

 ever)^ ten ordinary wayside blossoms which we see on 

 any country walk are members of this highly evolved, 

 ubiquitous, and extremely successful family. 



Still, we are far from having finished the pedigree 

 of the daisy. We have traced its general genealogy 

 down as far as the common composite stock : we 

 have now to trace its special derivation from the early 

 common composite type to the distinctive daisy form. 

 Clearly one great point in the daisy's history is yet 

 untouched upon ; and that is the nature and meaning 

 of the white rays. We know that the inner }-ellow 

 florets are (as it were) dwarfed and specialised golden 

 harebells ; but we do not yet know what is the origin 

 of these long outer streamers, which look so wholly 

 unlike the tin\- and regular central bells. 



In solving this problem, the other composites will 

 help us not a little ; for we must always seek in the 

 simpler for the interpretation of the more complex ; 



