160 COMPOSITE. 



used to be much cultivated for its edible roots, and is still 

 to be found in gardens of a high order. The herb is called 

 Salsafy. 



There is a rare species of this family called the Greater 

 Goafs-beard (T. major), and distinguished by the swollen 

 flower-stalks. It appeared upon the Calton Hill, Edinburgh, a 

 few years ago ; fresh earth was thrown over the turf afterwards, 

 and the G-oat's-beard plants have never since attained their 

 former height of a foot and a half, but are stinted to little more 

 than half the size. 



Kent furnishes the Ox -tongue ; a sandy bank on the Junction- 

 road, near Hawkhurst, produces dozens of plants. It grows 

 two or three feet high, has bristles everywhere, and there is an 

 outer calyx of five heart-shaped lobes. The flowers are small 

 and yellow, and the leaves lance- shaped. It is called Ox- tongue 

 on account of its roughness (Picris echioides). 



The Hawkweed Picris is a common autumn flower ; the stem- 

 leaves waved, the root-leaves toothed; the whole plant very 

 rough, but not bristly, and the blossoms larger than those of 

 the Ox-tongue. 



The Hawkbits are in my collection ; two of the species at 

 least. 



The Hough Hawkbit (Apargia hispida), bears only one 

 flower 011 a stem, and no leaves. The flowers are hairy at 

 their opening, and the leaves, which spring from the root, 

 are notched, and the points of the scallops turned back. I 

 gathered my specimen on the top of Scarth Nick, a com- 

 manding hill in Wensleydale. 



The Autumnal Hawkbit (A. autumnalis), is an elegant little 

 plant, with a branched stalk, bearing several bright yellow 

 flowers. The partial stalks are scaly ; the leaves smooth, and 

 very much notched. 



The Deficient Hawkbit, or. Hairy Thrincia, has its florets 

 red beneath, and is thus distinguished from the Bough 

 (Thrincia hirta). 



