FLEAWOBT DAISY. 175 



The Marsh Fleawort (C. paliistris), is a much larger plant, 

 with toothed leaves. It is peculiar to the eastern counties. 



The Great Leopard's-bane (Doronicum pardalianches), is a 

 handsome plant, three feet high, with large yellow flowers, 

 but Sir J. E. Smith says it is not indigenous. 



The Ploughman's Spikenard (Conyza squarrosa), I found in 

 October, at Vallis, on the borders of Somersetshire. It is a 

 woody plant, with notched lance-shaped leaves, and the scales 

 of the involucre turned back. The flower is a brownish-yellow. 

 It is the only British member of the family. 



The family of the Elecampane comes next. The common 

 species (fnula dysenterica), I found first in a moist field at 

 Aldfield, near Kipon ; I have since seen it pretty frequently. 

 Edward says it is very abundant on roadsides and pastures in 

 Kent. The leaves are oblong, very woolly, and clasp the stem, 

 which is branched. The flowers are large and golden. It has 

 a sweet musky smell. 



The Great Elecampane (I. helenium), is very rare. Its 

 leaves are rugged, but only downy beneath, and its flowers are 

 very large and handsome. 



The Small Elecampane has pale yellow hemispherical flowers, 

 while the Samphire-leaved species is distinguished by its narrow 

 fleshy leaves, and the orange hue of the florets of the disk. It 

 grows on Portland Island. 



/ At last comes the turn of our common Daisy (Bellis perennis, N 

 , Plate XL, fig. 8). No description of this is necessary. The / 

 f French call it " Marguerite," because they liken it to a pearl \* 

 and Chaucer terms it "the ee of daie." Wordsworth cele- 

 brates its praise : 



" When soothed awhile by milder airs, 

 Thee Winter in the garland wears 

 That thinly shades his few grey hairs ; 



Spring cannot shun thee: 

 "Whole Summer-fields are thine by right; 

 And Autumn, melancholy wight ! 

 Doth in thy crimson head delight, 

 When rains are on thee. 



