COEOLLIFLOE^l. 289 



spermic seed ; from Composite especially by the distinct anthers and 

 pendulous seed. 



Distribution. The species number about 120, and are found most 

 abundantly in Southern Europe and North and South Africa. None are 

 American. 



Qualities and Uses. Some are said to be astringent. The Teazel 

 (Dipsacus fullonum), a large Thistle-like plant, is of great importance, its 

 dried capitula being used to comb up the nap on cloth, the hooked bracts 

 not tearing the stuff like metal instruments. Many species of Scabiosa 

 (Scabious) are cultivated for their beauty ; two small-flowered species are 

 natives of Britain. 



CALYCERACEJE are a small Order of South- American plants, interme- 

 diate between Dipsaceae and Compositge, having the pendulous perispermic 

 seed of the former, and anthers coherent below and free above, so as to 

 approach the syngenesious character of the latter Order. Properties un- 

 known. Genera : Boopis, Juss. ; Calycera, Cav. 



COMPOSITE. 



Coh. Compositales, Benth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Herbs or shrubs; the flowers in dense heads 

 (capitula) upon a common receptacle surrounded by an involucre ; 

 stamens 5 (rarely 4), springing from the corolla, filaments free ; 

 anthers coherent into a tube surrounding the style (syngenesious) ; 

 ovary inferior, 1-cellecl, with 1 erect ovule ; seed aperispermic. 



Character. 



Capitula at the extremity of an enlarged peduncle surrounded by 

 an involucre of bracts, and bearing perfect and imperfect florets 

 closely packed, all similar, or of two kinds, those of the centre 

 or disk and those of the circumference or ray ; florets often 

 accompanied by membranous scale-like bracts (palece). Calyx 



Fig. 392. Fig. 393. Fig. 394. 



Fig. 392. Eeceptacle of the Daisy with the florets removed. 



Fig. 393. Eeceptacle of Dandelion with the florets removed; bracts of the involucre reflexed. 



Fig. 394. Linear stigmas of Composites. 



U 



