Lapsana.-] XLIII. COMPOSITE. *71 



XLI. LAPSANA. LAPSANE. 



Leafy annual, with small yellow flower-heads. Achenes without any 

 pappus or border whatever. 



A genus of few species spread over the northern hemisphere. 



1. L. communis, Linn. (fig. 611). Nipplewort. Stem 1 to 2 or 3 

 feet high, with a few stiff hairs at the base, branched and glabrous 

 upwards. Leaves thin and usually hairy ; the lower ones ovate, coarsely 

 toothed, with a few smaller lobes along the stalks ; the upper ones 

 small, narrow, and entire. Flower- heads on slender peduncles, in a 

 loose panicle or corymb. Involucre about 3 lines long, of about 8 

 nearly equal scales of a glaucous green, with a few very small outer 

 ones. Achenes slightly compressed, with numerous longitudinal nerves. 



A common weed in waste and cultivated places, throughout Europe 

 and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Extends over Britain, 

 except the northern extremity of Scotland. Fl. summer and autumn. 



XLIV. CAMPANULAOE^E. CAMPANULA FAMILY. 



Herbs, with alternate, entire or toothed leaves, without 

 stipules ; the flowers most commonly blue or white, either 

 distinct, or collected into heads with a general involucre. 

 Calyx adhering to the ovary, with a free border of 5 teeth or 

 lobes, sometimes very narrow and almost reduced to bristles. 

 Corolla inserted within the lobes of the calyx, regular or irre- 

 gular, with 5 teeth or lobes. Stamens 5, inserted within the 

 corolla at its base, but otherwise free from it. Anthers dis- 

 tinct, or rarely cohering in a ring round the style. Style 

 single, with an entire or divided stigma. Ovary and capsule 

 inferior, divided into from 2 to 5 cells, with several seeds in 

 each (or, in a very few exotic species, reduced to 1 seed). 



A rather large family, widely spread over the temperate regions of 

 both hemispheres, especially the northern one, and crossing the tropics 

 Chiefly in mountainous districts. The insertion of the stamens within 

 the base of the corolla, and not upon its tube, is peculiar, among British 

 Monopetals, to this Order and to Ericaceae ; and from the latter, Cam- 

 panulacece are easily known by their herbaceous stems, and the number of 

 stamens always equal to, never double, that of the lobes of the corolla. 



Corolla very irregular, split open on the upper side. Anthers 



closely cohering L LOBELIA. 



Corolla regular or nearly so. Anthers free or cohering at the base 



only. 

 Segments of the corolla deep and narrow-linear. Flowers in 



heads or dense spikes. 



Anthers united in a riug at the base. Heads small, hemi- 

 spherical . 2. JASIONK. 



Anthers distinct. Flower-buds cylindrical, curved. Heads 



globular or elongated * . . 8. PHYTEUMA. 



Lobes of the corolla bruad and short 4. 



