ORDER ^QTJALIS. 



177 



a. Analysis of the ^fountain Daisy. — The JRoot (Fig. 150, a) 

 is fibrous ; from these fibers spring out tubercles ; the root rs 

 said to he fibrous-tubercled. The Leaves (b) are radical, spring- 

 ing from the root ; simple, because they are undivided ; obovate, 

 with the somewhat oval form being narrowed toward the 

 stem ; ciliate, having Jjairs upon their margin. The Stem (c) is 

 called a scajye, because it springs directly from the root and 

 bears no leaves" ; it is simple and pubescent. The Calyx 

 (d) is hemispherical; it is common, that is, incloses many 

 florets ; the leaflets of the calyx, sometimes called scales, are 

 eq2ial. The Corolla (e) has many florets on one expanded ra- 

 chis or receptacle ; it is radiate, having rays ; the florets of the 

 disk are tubular (Fig. 151, a), perfect flowers, funnel-shaped, 

 and five-toothed ; the florets of the ray {b) ligulate : they have 

 pistils without stamens. The Stamens (c) are five, united by 

 their anthers, forming a tube. The pistil in the disk florets passes up through the 

 tube formed by the anthers ((/) ; the stigma is parted into two divisions, wliich ar 

 refiexed. The plant has no pericarp or seed-vessel ; 

 the seeds (achenia) grow upon the racliis {e), they 

 are single, naked, or destitute of the downy plume 

 called egret which is seen upon the dandelion and 

 many other of the syngenesious plants. The rachis 

 is co7iical ; it is dotted with little holes, these 

 are the places in which the seeds were fixed ; the 

 appearance of the rachis, whether naked or chaffy, 

 sometimes constitutes a distinction between genera 

 of the syngenesious plants. This seed belongs to 

 Mirbel's genus of fruits, Cypsela. 



b. The botanical name of the daisy is bellis 

 perennis. It belongs to the artificial class Syn- 

 genesia, because the anthers are united ; order 2d, 

 Superflua, because the pistils in the ray are super- 

 fluous, having no stamens. The generic name, 

 Bellis, is from an ancient Latin word, belles, hand- 

 some ; from which comes also the French word bel ; the specific name, perennis, 

 signifies that it is a perennial plant, or one whose roots live several years. The 

 common name, daisy, is derived from a property which many petals of the syngene- 

 «ious plants possess of folding themselves at the setting of' the sun, and expanding 

 with its rising. The poet Chaucer, who lived in the fourteenth century, is said to 

 nave first noticed this circumstance, and to have called the flower day's-eye. 



260. The orders of the dass Sjngenesia are founded on the 

 situation of the several kind of florets. These florets are, ^er/ect^ 

 such as have both stamens and pistils ; hart'eii^ or stammate^ 

 liaving only stamens ; fertile^ or pistillate^ having only ^h- 

 tih \ neiitral.) destitute of either stamens or pistils. The five 

 orders in this class depend on the various situations of these 

 diflerent kinds of florets. 



261. Order ^qualis. — Ti\Q first Order contains those flowers 

 of this class which have all the florets perfect or equal ; this 

 order is divided into tliree sections. 



1st. Containing such as have ligulate florets ; as the dande- 

 lion, lettuce, and vegetable oyster. 2d. Florets tuhiloics, with 

 flowers in a head ; as the thistle, and false saftron {Carthamus). 



a. Describe Fig. 144.— 6. Botanical name, class, and order of the daisv.— 2G0. Orders of the class 

 Fyngenesia, how distinguished ?— Different kinds of florets.— i261. Order JEqualis, divided into three 

 lections. ., 



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