DAISY. 



receptacle is conical, naked, and dotted. The florets of the ray 

 are pistilliferous, ligulate, slightly notched, and of a white co- 

 lour, tipped with crimson ; those of the disk are numerous, per- 

 fect, tubular, five-toothed, of a yellow colour; the filaments are 

 hair-like, very short ; the anthers notched, cohering into a cy- 

 linder. The germen is inferior, obovate, with a filiform style, 

 and a bifid, crescent-shaped stigma. The fruit is a small, ob- 

 ovate, compressed pericarp, destitute of pappus, and containing 

 a single, erect seed. Plate 15, fig. 3, (a) floret of the circum- 

 ference or ray ; (6) floret of the disk magnified; (c) the an- 

 thers forming a tube round the style, magnified. 



This modest, crimson-tipped flower, the delight of all ages, 

 is as frequent as it is beautiful. It gems our meadows and 

 pastures from March to November, most abundantly in the 

 height of spring and the beginning of summer, but a few may 

 be seen at all seasons ; — 



" It smiles upon the lap of IMay, 



To sultry August spreads its charms. 

 Meets cold October on his way, 

 And twines December's arms." 



Montgomery. 



Shelley, in his exquisite dream of spring-flowers, introduces 



" Daisies, those pearled Arcturi of the earth, 

 The constellated flower that never sets ! " 



The generic name is derived from the Latin belliis, pretty. 

 It was also called Margarita, (a pearl,) of which there are sy- 

 nonymes in many of the continental languages. The bold and 

 cheerful manner in which its petals expand to the light of day, 

 and their habit of closing at night and against rain, suggested the 

 name of daisy, or as Ben Jonson calls it days-eye. Chaucer 

 gave it the same designation ; speaking of " Aprilis and his 

 plesant showres," he says 



" Of whose invencion lovirs may be glade, 

 For they bring in the Kalendis of Male, 

 And they with countenance demure, meke, 

 Owe worship to the lusty flowres alwaie. 

 And in special, one called et/e of the dale. 

 The daisie, or flowir white and rede." 



His affection for this flower manifests itself in many parts of 

 his poems, and he describes in beautiful language its habit of 



