DIVISION OF COMPOUND FLOWERS. 



179 



263. Order FrmsPranea. — ^The third Order has the disk florets 

 perfect; those of the ray are neutral; an abortive seed is 

 sometimes seen at the base of the florets ; the name Frustranea 

 alludes to this imperfect seed. The Smi-flower (IIeliantiius) is 

 a very good plant to examine, as the organs are large and de- 

 velop clearly the peculiar character of its natural and artilicial 

 alliances. Fig. 152, a, represents the flower of the Coreopsis ; 

 5, a floret of the disk, with its bifid stigma 

 above the tube formed by the united an- 

 thers ; c shows a ray floret, which is neu- 

 tral. In this order is the Centaukea 

 heiiedicta^ or blessed thistle, a native of 

 Spain, which received its name on ac- 

 count of some extraordinary virtues which 

 it was thought to possess. 



264. Order Necessaria. — The fourth 

 Order includes plants in which the rafys 

 only are pistillate^ the dish florets stam- 

 inate. We find here the j^ot-marigold 

 (Calendula), a cultivated ^^l^iit? com- 

 monly w^ith orange-colored leaves and stem ; sometimes used for 

 soups. 



265. Order Segregata. — Th^flfth Order contains genera, with 

 each floret having a calyx proper to itself, besides a common 

 calyx including the whole of the florets which make up the 

 flower; this may be called a douhly-compound flower. The 

 only plant of this order yet discovered in the United States is 

 the ele]3hant's-foot (Elephantopus), a low, hairy-leaved j)lant, 

 with purple, ligulate florets. 



266. The plants of the class Syngenesia were, by Jussieu, 

 subdivided as follows : 1st. Those with florets all ligulate and j9c?^- 

 feci; leaves alternate.^ having milky juice ; corollas mostly yellow. 

 This includes the dandelion and lettuce. 2d. Compound flow 

 ers with tulular corollas; with receptacles fleshy and chafly ; 

 eg7'et stiff Siud hristly ; leaves often with harsh prickles ; flowers 

 in a head. This includes the thistle, burdock, and false saflron. 

 3d. Such compound flowers as have their inflorescence clustered 

 in a c&rynih ; as the life-everlasting, boneset, and aster. The 

 plants of the class Syngenesia are, in general, easily recognized 

 at the first glance. 



Of. A botanist observes, " Syngenesious plants have a Tveed-like appearance, not- 

 ■withstanding the beauty of their coloring ; the stems and leaves are often rough, and 

 they seem to have been less completely reclaimed from their savage state than most 

 other plants, with the exception of the Cryptogamous class,"* Few plants of tliia 



• Barton. 



21)3. Order Frustranea—Fun-flowcr— Coreopsis— Blessed thistle.— 264. Order Necessaria.— 265. Order 

 So4,'rrtgata — Elepliaiit's-foot.— 266. Jussieu'a division of compound flowers. 



