264 HIE COMPOSITE FAMILY. [Taraxacum 



have given rise to a number of supposed species, the most remarkable 

 British ones are the common T. Dens-leonis, with pinnatifid leaves and 

 the outer involucral bracts much recurved, and T. palustre with narrow 

 leaves nearly entire or sinuate, and the outer involucral bracts scarcely 

 spreading at the tips. 



[There are four principal forms in the British Isles : 1. The common 

 one, with bright green runcinate leaves, recurved outer bracts, and pale 

 >^ achenes ; it affects cultivated ground, and is perhaps dependent on it. 

 2. T. erythrospermum, Andrz., with dull green often glaucous runcinate 

 leaves, spreading outer bracts, the inner thickened near the tip, and 

 brown achenes. 3. T. Icevigatum, DC., with dull green pinnatifid leaves, 

 broader erect outer bracts, and pale achenes. These two affect dry 

 uncultivated ground. 4. T. palustre, DC., with very narrow sinuate or 

 pinnatifid green leaves, ovate, erect or spreading outer bracts, and pale 

 achenes. This inhabits moist moorlands and mountains, and varies 

 greatly in the size of all its parts.] 



XXXVII. CREPIS.. CKEPIS. 



Annuals or biennials, rarely forming a stock of longer duration, 

 usually glabrous or slightly hairy, with branched, more or less leafy 

 stems, and rather small heads of flowers in loose panicles, yellow in the 

 British species. Involucre of several nearly equal linear inner bracts, 

 with smaller enter ones. Receptacle without scales. Achenes not 

 compressed, angular or striated, more or less narrowed at the top or 

 beaked, with a pappus of copious simple hairs, usually very white. 



One of the largest genera of LigulatcB in Europe and Asia, with a very 

 few American species, all nearly allied to Hieradum, but mostly distin- 

 guished by habit, as well as by the achenes contracted at the top and 

 the white pappus. There are some species, however, so nearly inter- 

 mediate between the two genera that they are referred to the one or to 

 the other according to the particular views of individual botanists. 



Achenes narrowed into a distinct, slender beak (Barkhausia). 

 All the uclienes with a long, slender beak. Outer involucral 



bracts lanceolate, whitish at the edges 1. C. taraxacifolia. 



Achenes of the outer florets scarcely beaked, the others with a 



long beak. Other involucral bracts small, and very narrow 2. C. fcttida. 

 Achenes contracted at the top, but without a distinct beak. 

 Lower leaves pinnatifid, or very narrow. Flower-heads nume- 

 rous. Pappus very white, and silky. ' 



Outer bracts of the involucre narrow-linear . . . . 8. C. virent. 

 Outer bracts of the involucre oblong-linear, with a whitish 



edge 4. C. biennii. 



Leaves mostly oblong, coarsely toothed or entire. Flower-heads 



few. Pappus not very white, and rather stiff. 



Leaves mostly entire. Achenes with about 20 ribs or striae . 6. C. hieracioidet. 

 Leaves mostly toothed. Achenes with 10 ribs or striaa . . 6. C. paludosa. 



The pink Hawkweed, formerly much cultivated in flower-gardens, is a 

 species of Crepis from south-eastern Europe. C. setosa, Haller, which 

 has the long-beaked achenes of C. taraxacifolia, but is covered with, stiff, 

 spreading hairs, is a south-east European plant, which has occasionally 

 appeared in Britain as a weed of cultivation. 



1. C. taraxacifolia, Thuil. (fig. 596). Beaked C. Much resembles 

 some forms of C- biennis, but is easily known by the pappus. Leaves 



