42 ENGLISH BOTANV. 



In pastures, meadows, roadsides, and waste j^jlaccs, &c. Very 

 common, and universally distributed. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer 

 and Autumn. 



Pvootstock slender, woody, l)ranched. Stems erect, 1 to 2 feet; 

 high, sparingly hairy with jointed hairs. Leaves very variable iu 

 the degree of incision, those of the barren tufts generally crenato 

 or doubly crenate, those towards the base of the stem attenuated, 

 crenate, inciso-serrate or sometimes pinnatifid ; upper ones gene- 

 rally inciso-serrate and semi-am plexicaiU at the base. Anthodes, 

 including the ray, 1| to 2 inches across ; disk rather convex. 

 Florets of the disk yellow with the tube dilated and winged at the 

 base, those of the ray with the ligule broad, rounded, or very faintly 

 toothed at the tip. Achcnes dark-grey, with very prominent white 

 ribs. Plant deep-green, sub-glabrous, with minute scattered jointed 

 hairs on the leaves, especially on the veins. All the specimens I 

 have examined have a crown at the apes of the achenes of the ray- 

 florets, but most authors describe them as destitute of one. 



Great White Ox-eye. 



Fiencb, Chrysantlthne grande Marguente. German, Grosse Kiisehlurm. 



The trivial name of tliis species of Chrysanthemum is as significant as its generic 

 name — it is, in reality, white flower, the two names together being expressive of the 

 two colours united in it. The old Northern name for this daisy was Baldur's brow ; 

 and this, with many other species of Chrysanthemum became also dedicated to St. John. 

 We find a writer in the Quarterly Review writing thus : " The attributes of the Baptist 

 are sometimes shared in a remarkable manner by St. John the Evangelist ; and the 

 golden ' sunflowers,' as these Chrysanthemums were formerly called, are occasionally 

 introduced in representations of the latter saint with singular beauty and fitness. 

 Tlius, in stained glass of the 12th century filling a window in the apse of St. Eemi at 

 Kheims, the Virgin and St. John appear on either side of the cross, the heads of both 

 encircled by aureoles having sunflowers in their outer circles. The flowers are tuvneJ 

 towards the Saviour on the cross as toward their true sun." The sunflowers of the 

 garden are diflerent flowers altogether, and are an importation from Peru. 



The Chrysanthemum of the garden, that glorious ornament of the later months of 

 the year, is a native of Japan, but belongs to the same genus as our humble Ox-eye. 

 The first specimen of this foreign kind was cultivated here at Kew, and was of a 

 purple colour. From this variety all the sorts now so fashionable have been derived. 

 The little "pompone" Chrysanthemum was brought from Chusan by Mr. Fortune, and 

 for a long time was known as the " Chusan daisy." 



The young leaves of our native Ox-eye may be eaten as a salad. Gerarde tells 

 us that " Dioscorides saith, that the floures of Oxeie made up iu a scare cloth doc 

 asswage and waste away cold hard swellings ; and it is reported that if they bo 

 drunke by and by after bathing, they make them iu a short time well coloured that 

 Lave beene troubled with the yellow jaundice." 



