CUDWEED. 171 



We now come to the Cudweed family, and the first member 

 of it is from Edward's Kentish collection. 



The Bog Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum), grows in damp 

 clayey ground. Its flowers are brownish, and the stem much 

 branched. The leaves are narrow, and the entire stature of the 

 plant seldom exceeds four or five inches. 



Another of this family has similar foliage. It grows in 

 stubble fields, on a clay soil. About two inches from the 

 ground a round head of flowers appears, of a hue resembling 

 the leaves. From the sides of this head two or three branches 

 shoot, bearing more leaves and heads of flowers. This is the 

 common Cudweed, called by old herbalists " Herba impia," 

 because it gave the idea of children trying to domineer over 

 their parents (G. germanicum). 



Yorkshire contributes two species to the Cudweed family, 

 both inhabitants of my favourite valley of the Swale. 



The Mountain Cudweed (G-. dioicum, Plate XL, fig. 5), is a 

 pretty plant, with small heads of flowers, in pinkish involucres, 

 arranged in corymbs. The male flowers grow on one plant, 

 and the female on another. The whole height does not exceed 

 four inches. The leaves are ovate, green on the upper, white 

 on the under surface, and the habit of the plant is creeping. 



The Highland Cudweed (G. sylvaticum), inhabits the more 

 wooded parts of the same hills, over the exposed surfaces of 

 which the Mountain Cudweed spreads its corymbs. The stem 

 of this species is simple, and the flowers are arranged in a 

 compound leafy spike. The leaves are of a narrow lance- 

 shape. 



The Pearly Everlasting (G-. margaritaceum), is cottony all 

 over, and has a large corymb of white flowers. Though it is 

 sometimes found wild, yet it is better known as a garden plant. 

 My specimen was found, apparently wild, in Swaledale. 



The Least Cudweed (G-. minimum), closely resembles the 

 Marsh Cudweed, differing chiefly in size, and in having broader 

 leaves. It is a common plant in clay ground. 



