COMPOSITE 



THE FLOWER HEADS: the sterile numerous and tiny; the 

 stamina te in slender spikes; the pistillate solitary or 

 clustered in the upper axils. 



THE FRUIT: achenes; pappus none. 



A rather decorative frequenter of old gardens and road- 

 sides and neglected fields, where its numerous, long and 

 slender spikes of green flowers and its light green, finely 

 dissected leaves make it easy to recognise. One should 

 be able to identify readily this not unattractive but un- 

 fortunately-endowed plant, in order to aid in its extermina- 

 tion, for the pollen is quite as responsible for causing hay- 

 fever as that of Goldenrod. 



From the pollen is obtained a drug, valuable in the treat- 

 ment of hay-fever. 



COMPOSITE COMPOSITE FAMILY 



9 



Rudbeckia hirta, L. 



Yellow Black-eyed Susan. Great Hairy Rudbeckia, 



Brown-eyed Susan, Yellow Daisy, 



Yellow Ox-eye- Nigger-head, 



May-October Daisy, Golden Jerusalem. 

 Cone Flower, 



Rudbeckia: named in honour of the Professors Rud- 

 beck, father and son, predecessors of Linnaeus at 

 Upsala. 



Hirta: Latin for rough. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: grain fields, or the dry sandy 

 soil of the Commons. 



THE PLANT: erect, one foot to three feet high, often 

 branched near the base, with rather coarse, more or less 

 stiff, short hairs throughout. 

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