Wild Flowers of Georgetown. 339 



The only other composite we need mention here is 

 the white sow-thistle (EreclJiites liieracifolia) , rather 

 common on waste lands near town, a stoutish, rather 

 thistle-like, but not prickly plant, two or three feet high, 

 with dingy white flower-heads. Several other small- 

 flowered yellow or white composites will frequently 

 be met with. 



Another very important order in temperate regions, the 

 umbel-bearing plants (Umbclliferx), typical forms of 

 which are the celery, parsley, carrot and other plants 

 cultivated in the colony, has few representatives near 

 town, and those not typical. The penny-worts have 

 round platter-like leaves stalked in the middle, and small 

 rather wheel-shaped umbels of tiny white flowers I he 

 marsh penny-wort (Hydrocotyle umbellata), also called 

 sheep's bane, and foot-rot — the last names pointing to 

 poisonous qualities not rare among the umbelliferse — is 

 common at the edge of water, and may be seen in 

 the second lake at the Gardens, where it will 

 be at once recognised b\' its round leaves, about 

 two inches across, held sideways like targets a few inches 

 above the water. A very small and delicate kind, the 

 dwarf penny-wort (Hydrocotyle asiatica) is often found 

 creeping close to the ground in moist and shady places, 

 especially affec/ting flower-pots and ferneries. 



The only other representative of the order is a plant 

 called fitweed or fever-weed from its medicinal virtues, 

 (Eryngium focidum), more like a low-growing soft- 

 leaved thistle than a true umbel. It may be dis- 

 tinguished by its star-shaped tufts of slightly prickly 

 leaves, and green heads with very small incon- 

 spicuous white flowers. It is a near relative of 



UU2 



