COMPOSITE. 289 



II. COLTSFOOT. TUSSILAGO. 



Herbs, with perennial, creeping rootstock?, and large, broad, deeply cordate 

 radical leaves ; the flowering-stems issuing from separate buds, with small, 

 narrow, alternate leaves, and terminal flower -heads, either solitaiy or in a 

 raceme. Involucre of several Unear bracts, with a few small outer ones. 

 Outer florets female, either fihform or narrow-ligulate, the inner ones 

 tubular, or sometimes all tubular. Receptacle without scales. Branches 

 of the style cylindrical or club-shaped. Achenes cyhndrical, with a copious 

 pappus of simple hairs. 



A genus of very few European or north Asiatic species, easily known 

 among British Composites by the peculiar foUage. 



Flower-heads solitary, the external florets yellow and narrow-Ugu- 



late 1- Common C. 



Flower-heads in a compound raceme, purple or pink, nearly all 



tubular, or nearly all smaU and filiform, not ligulate .... 2. Butterbur C. 



1. Common Coltsfoot. Tussilago Farfara, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 429. Coltsfoot.) 



Flowering stems simple, but often growing in tufts, erect, about 6 inches 

 high, more or less covered with a loose, white cotton ; the small leaves or 

 scales numerous, oblong or Unear, entire and erect. Flower-head solitary, 

 terminal ; the florets of the ray numerous, ligulate, very narrow, but not 

 long, of a bright yellow. Radical leaves appearing much later than the 

 flower-stems, 4 or 5 inches broad, angular and toothed, covered under- 

 ner.th with a loose, white, cottony wool, of which there is a Httle also on 

 the upper side. 



In waste and cultivated ground throughout Europe and central and 

 Russian Asia to the Arctic Circle, and a very troublesome weed in poor, 

 stiff soils. Abundant in Britain. Fl. early spring. 



2. Butterbur Coltsfoot. Tussilag'o Petasites, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 431, and T. hyhrida, Eng. Bot. t. 430. Btdterhur.) 

 Leaves of the common 0., but usually larger. Flowering stems not in 

 tufts, often a foot high when fuU-grown, vrith many flower-heads, of a dull 

 pinkish-piu-ple, in a narrow-oblong terminal panicle, and almost dicecious. 

 The male plant has a looser panicle of smaller heads, the florets tubular and 

 male, or with a few filiform female ones on the outside ; the female panicle 

 more compact, the heads larger, the florets aU filiform, or with a few tubular 

 male ones in the centre. 



In sandy meadows, on the banks of streams, or roadsides, in Europe and 

 Russian Asia^ but not an Arctic plant. Frequent in England, extending 

 into southern Scotland. Fl. spring. It is often distinguished from Colts- 

 foot as a genus, vmder the name of Petasites. 



The winter Heliotrope of our gardens, or sweei Coltsfoot (Tussilago 

 fragrans),vi-i^ sometimes establish itself near where it has been planted ; it 

 is very near the Butterbur, but easily known by its fragrant flowers. 



III. ASTER. ASTER. 



Herbs usually erect, with alternate, entire or toothed leaves, and radiate 

 flower-heads in terminal corymbs. Involucral bracts imbricated in few 



2 c 



