97 WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND BLOSSOMS. 



Long-rooted Cat's-ear (Hypochczris radicata). 



Cat's-ear is one of those plants that are passed by the 

 rambler as being " perplexing hawkweeds which no one but a 

 German botanist understands." It is not exactly a hawkweed, 

 though it comes pretty close to that family, and roughly may 

 be said to resemble them. Of the Composite flowers we have 

 already dealt with, it will be seen that the Cat's-ear has a 

 blossom similar in structure to Sonchus (page 114), Taraxacum 

 (page 20) and Tragopogon (page 84). It has a perennial tap-root, 

 from which arises and spreads a circlet of many rough hairy 

 leaves, their edges scalloped ; there are no stem leaves. The 

 flower-stem is branched, each branch bearing but one flower- 

 head. The involucral bracts are in several series, laid one over 

 the other like tiles. All the corollas are strap-shaped, toothed 

 at the free end, yellow. The pappus or down that surrounds 

 the fruit consists of a row of feathery hairs, surrounded by an 

 outer row of shorter bristles. The flowers are longer than the 

 involucre. Flowers June to September. There are two other 

 British species : 



I. Smooth Cat's-ear (H. glabra). An annual plant, found chiefly in dry fields on 

 gravelly soil, but not nearly so commonly as radicata. Its leaves are broader, egg- 

 shaped, and smooth. It has several branched flower-stems. The involucre as long 

 as the florets, the bracts few and unequal. Flowers June to September, 



II. Spotted Cat's-ear (H. maculata). A rare perennial, confined to chalky and 

 limestone pastures in several counties, i.e., the Lizard, Cornwall ; Orme's head, North 

 Wales ; Westmoreland, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex. Leaves rough, with hairs, 

 stalkless, egg-shaped, often spotted. Flower-stems seldom branched, usually with 

 several small leaves and one large flower-head (sometimes several). Involucre 

 shorter than the florets ; outer row of pappus absent. Flowers July and August. 



