COMPOSITE FLOWERS. 209 



the florets in those plants are tubular, and there is 

 no ray at all. 



Kobert remembered a number of garden flowers 

 which must belong to this composite tribe, such as 

 chrysanthemums, china-asters, dahlias, marigolds, 

 Michaelmas daisies, hawkweeds, &c. ; and Mary 

 found out that a piece of groundsel, which she had 

 gathered for her bird, also belonged to it. 



" Now I understand," she said, " how it is that 

 dandelion and groundsel have such a quantity of 

 seeds. Every little floret, I dare say, has its own 

 seed ; and when they are all ripe, and have got 

 their silky wings ready, then they spread out into 

 those pretty globes, and are ready to fly away with 

 the least puff of wind. Yes, and that must be the 

 plan with the globe-thistle, and all the rest of the 

 thistles. No wonder they are called composite, if 

 that means many together." 



" Yes," replied her father, " and not only many 

 together, but that cannot do without each other. 

 These florets, some without stamens and some with 

 stamens, are necessary to each other in a different 

 way from ordinary clusters of flowers, each of which 

 may be perfect in itself." 



"How is it," said Henry, "that some of our 

 4. P 



