164 FLOWERS OF ROCKS, WALLS, ETC. 



granitic or schistose rocks with little soil, or it may be found growing 

 on lime soil in the south, upon chalk or Oolite. 



A little fungus, Puccinia virgaurecp, infests it. Lepidoptera fre- 

 quent it, such as The Cudweed (Cucullia gnapkilii) and The Star- 

 wort (C. Asteris], The Golden-rod Brindle (Cloantha Solidaginis], 

 Botys terrcalis, Homoeosoma nirnbella, Coleopkora virgaurea, Lyc&na 

 virgaurec?, GueneVs Pug (Eupitkecia pernotatd], Common Pug (E. 

 vulgata], Wormwood Pug (E. absyntkiata], Pteropkora tetradactylus, 

 Dark Brocade (Hadena adusta). 



Solidago, Brunfels, is from the Latin solidare, make whole or 

 sound. Virgaurea, Mathiolus, is from the Latin virga, stem, aurea, 

 golden. 



Golden Rod has a few other names, such as Aaron's-rod, Banwort, 

 Woundwort. The first was bestowed because it has a tall, straight 

 stem, and is connected with Aaron because his rod, like his beard, is 

 familiar from its mention in Scripture history. 



This plant was formerly employed as a vulnerary. It is now- 

 planted in our gardens. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



151. Solidago Virgaurea, L. Stem erect, sub-simple, sub-angular, 

 leaves lanceolate, lower petiolate, serrate, flowerheads yellow, in ter- 

 minal racemes, small, disk florets tubular, ray florets ligulate, fruit 

 downy. 



Mouse-ear Hawkweed (Hieracium Pilosella, L.) 



Widely dispersed on hilly ground this pretty Hawkweed was quite 

 an old-established species in the British Islands in the Glacial period. 

 It is found in Interglacial beds at West Wittering, Sussex, and it is 

 the only species of this large and polymorphic genus found in Britain 

 so early. At the present day it occurs in the North Temperate Zone 

 in Europe, N. Africa, North and West Asia. Mouse-ear Hawkweed 

 occurs in all parts of Great Britain except the Shetlands, ranging else- 

 where as far north as the Orkneys, and ascends to 2400 ft. in 

 Yorkshire. It is native in Ireland and the Channel Islands. 



This common Hawkweed is a xerophilous plant, growing usually 

 on dry ground, at a more or less high altitude on hills and mountains, 

 on sandy soil. It is fond of growing on rocky ledges, or where rocks 

 crop out at the surface and are exposed by denudation. Similarly, 

 walls are another suitable and frequent habitat. This Hawkweed is 

 associated with Bird's Foot, Vernal Grass, and other rupestral types. 



