288 PLANTS GROWING IN DRY SOIL. 



The difference between the staminate and pistillate blossoms, 

 which grow on separate plants and usually near together, is 

 that the staminate ones are more highly coloured and appear 

 somewhat dotted. The pistillate ones are smooth and downy. 

 A. neodwica, smaller cat's-foot, is often found growing side by 

 side with the above species. It is a woolly plant and bears 

 many leaves. 



GOLDEN RAGWORT. SQUAW-WEED. 



Senecio aureus. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Composite. Yellow. Scentless. General. May, June. 



Flower-heads: small; growing in umbel-like, leafless clusters and composed 

 of both ray and disk flowers. Leaves : alternate; the lower ones mostly heart- 

 shaped, with long petioles, upper leaves lanceolate ; deeply cut; sessile as they 

 ascend the stem. Stem : erect; simple; smooth; cottony when young. The 

 pappus of silky white down. 



The ragwort, which is one of our native weeds, illuminates 

 our meadows with the same tints of golden yellow that we 

 sometimes trace in the amber light from a sunset. It is also 

 sadly true that it is responsible for an immense amount of hay 

 fever. 



The generic name senecio is from senex, an old man, and 

 refers to the silky, white hairs of the pappus. Although the 

 plant is in general appearance somewhat like an aster, the 

 leaves are quite individual and very variable in the different 

 species. 



TICK-SEED. (Plate CXLVIII) 



Coreopsis lanceoldta, 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Composite. Yellow. Scentless. Mostly south and west. May-August. 



Flower-heads : few., or solitary on long slender peduncles ; ray-flowers, six 

 to ten, toothed at the 'apex; disk-flowers, perfect. Involucre: two inches 

 broad, depressed, with lanceolate bracts. Leaves: lanceolate ; entire; almost 

 sessile. Stem : high ; slender; glabrous. 



So brilliant and effective is this flower that it has been ex- 

 tensively cultivated in gardens. The involucre is responsible 

 for its appearing somewhat deceptive to the non-botanist. It 



