150 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



In waste places. Rather rare, and more partial to the sea- 

 coast than the preceding species, with which, in other respects, its 

 distribution coincides. The pinnatifid-leaved form in the marshes 

 about Plumstead Butts. 



England. Annual or biennial. Late Summer 

 and Autumn. 



This plant bears much resemblance (especially in the larger 

 pmnatifid-leaved forms) to L. Scariola ; it has, however, a greater 

 tendency to produce numerous branches at the base of the main 

 stem. The leaves, even when runcinate, have the segments further 

 apart and narrower ; the auricles are more diverging ; the margins 

 and midribs of the leaves and the stems smooth, rarely with a few 

 bristles or pi'ickles ; the panicle has extremely sbort branches, and 

 the anthodes have shorter stalks ; the fruit is similar, but smooth 

 (not scabrous) towards the top, and the margin is scarcely broader 

 than the ribs upon the face. 



The form with pinnatifid leaves I have gathered at Plumstead 

 Marshes, and have seen also from Whitstable in Kent. It is appa- 

 rently the L. saligna 3 runcinata (Gr. & Godr. Fl. de Fr. Vol. II. 

 p. 319), where it is suggested that it is possibly a hybrid between 

 L. saligna ami L. Scariola. It seems, however, to be merely a 

 luxuriant form of the former. 



Least Lettuce. 



French, Laitue Effilee. German, WeideH-hUitteriger Lattich. 



SPECIES I v.— L ACTUCA MURALIS. Fresm. 



Plate DCCCVIII. 



Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 407. 



lieicfi. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XIX. Tab. aiCCCCXVII. 



Prenanthes muralis, Linn. Sm. Eng. Bot. No. 457. 



Mycelis muralis, Reich. Fl. Excurs. p. 272. 



Phoenixopus muralis, Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Ilelv. ed. i. p. 430. 



Cicerbita muralis, Wallr. Sched. Grit. p. 43G. 



Stem smooth. Leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, sub-runcinate, with 

 the lobes angular, not spiny on the margins or midrib ; stem- 

 leaves (except the lowest) amplexicaul, with acute or blunt 

 auricles. Panicle very lax, corymbose at the top, with slcndei 

 divaricate branches. Acheucs jjurplish-black, scarcely bordered ; 

 beak white, about one-fourth the length of the achene. 



On rocks, old walls, and shady places in woods. Rather rai< 

 but pretty generally distributed in England. It has also beei 



