Leontodon.] XLIII. COMPOSITE. 269 



erect, usually with 1 or 2 single-headed branches, having sometimes 

 1 or 2 narrow, nearly entire leaves near the base ; the branches or 

 peduncles nearly glabrous, bearing a few small scales. Involucres 

 oblong, tapering at the base into the enlarged summit of the peduncle, 

 glabrous in the common variety, with closely appressed, imbricated 

 bracts, Achenes long, striate, and transversely wrinkled, tapering 

 into a short beak, scarcely perceptible in the outer ones. Pappus 

 brown and feathery, without the short, outer hairs of L. hispidus. 

 Apargia autumnalis, Willd. 



In meadows, pastures, and waste places, throughout Europe and 

 Russian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions. Abundant 

 all over Britain. Fl. summer and autumn. L. pratensis, Koch. (Apargia 

 Taraxaci, Horn.), is a northern or alpine variety of dwarf stature, with the 

 flower-stems often simple, and rather large flower-heads, the summit of 

 the peduncle much enlarged, and the involucre more or less covered 

 with black hairs. Not unfrequent in the Scotch Highlands. The true 

 L. Taraxaci, from the alps of central Europe, is quite a distinct plant. 



3. L. hirtus, Linn. (fig. 584). Lesser H. Usually a smaller plant than 

 the last two, and glabrous, or with a few stiff, mostly forked hairs on 

 the leaves and lower part of the peduncles. Leaves oblong or linear, 

 coarsely toothed, sinuate or shortly pinnatifid. Peduncles seldom above 

 6 inches high, with a single rather small head of bright yellow flowers. 

 Involucres green, glabrous, thickening at the base after flowering, con- 

 sisting of 10 or 12 nearly equal bracts, with several small imbricated 

 ones at the base. Achenes of the outer row curved, slightly tapering 

 at the top, with a very short, scaly pappus ; the others like those of L. 

 hispidus. Thrincia hirta, Koth. 



In rather dry open pastures, moors, and waste places in central'and 

 southern Europe, scarcely extending to its eastern limits, or northward 

 to the Baltic. Very common in England and Ireland, but found only 

 in the south-east of Scotland. FL summer. 



XXXIII. HYPOCHCERIS. HYPOCHCERE. 



Annuals or perennials, with the habit and pappus of Leontodon, but 

 more frequently branched ; the involucres rather more imbricated, and 

 there are a few chaffy scales on the receptacle between the florets, at 

 least among the inner ones. 



More numerous in species than Leontodon, it has also a wider geo* 

 graphical range, extending over Europe, Russian Asia, North America, 

 and western and southern South America. 



Involucres oblong, nearly glabrous. 

 Florets scarcely longer than the involucres. Outer achenes 



usually without a beak 1. 17. glabra. 



Florets longer than the involucres. All the achenes ending in 



a slender beak . 2. H. radicata. 



Involucres large, hemispherical, and hairy 3. H. maculata. 



1. H. glabra, Linn. (fig. 585). Glabrous H. Much resembles H. 

 radicata, but is a smaller plant, with an annual root, and quite glabrous ; 

 the stems seldom attain a foot in height, with much smaller flower-heads, 

 although the involucres become much elongated after flowering. The 

 achenes are similarly wrinkled, and have the same feathery pappus, 



