30.4 THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



filiform, with a very few tubular ones in the centre. Achenes very minute, 

 scarcely compressed, with a very deciduous pappus of distinct hairs. 



In fields and waste places, especially in wet, sandy situations, throughout 

 Europe and Russian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions. 

 Common in Britain. PL summer and autumn. 



7. Common Cudweed. Gnaphalium germanicum, Willd. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 946. Filago, Brit. Fl. F. apicidata and F. spathulata, 

 Bab. Man. Cudweed!) 



An erect, cottony annual, about 6 or 8 inclies high, simple or branched at the 

 base ; each stem terminated either by a single globular cluster of flower-heads, 

 or throwing out immediately under it 2 or 3 branches, each ending in a simi- 

 lar cluster. Leaves erect, lanceolate or Unear, pointed or obtuse, sometimes 

 slightly spathulate ; those under the clusters shorter or rather longer than 

 the clusters themselves. Flower-lieads very small, fi-om 20 to 30 in each 

 clusttr ; the involucres ovoid- conical, more or less angular, of a pale yellow 

 or brown ; the bracts usually acute. Florets shorter than tlie invobicres ; 

 tlie outer filiform ones mostly concealed among the scales of the receptacle 

 (or inner bracts of the involucre), with a few, chiefly tubular, in the centre, 

 without scales. 



In dry pastures, and stony or sandy wastes, over the whole of Europe and 

 western Asia except the extreme north. Abundant in England, rather less 

 so in Scotland. Fl. the whole summer. It has been subdivided into several 

 supposed species, upon characters derived from the shorter or longer, and 

 more or less obtuse or acute floral leaves, from the quantity of cotton on the 

 involucres, and from their obtuse or acute bracts. 



8. Field Cudweed. Gnaphalium. arvense, Willd. 

 {O. minimum, Eng. Bot. t. 1157. Filago minima, Brit. Fl.) 



A much more slender and smaller annual tlian the common C, which it 

 otherwise resembles in fohage and mode of growth. It is more irregularly 

 branched at the top, the leaves smaller, the clusters of flower-heads smaller 

 and more numerous, each consisting of from 3 to 10 minute conical heads. 

 Involucres cottony at the base, shining at the tips, and only one or two outer 

 rows of filiform florets are amongst the scales of the receptacle. 



In fields, and stony or sandy wastes, with a wider range than that of tlie 

 common C, extending all across Russian Asia, and more common in the 

 north, althougli not an Arctic plant. In Britain, it has been observed in a 

 few localities in England, Ireland, and southern Scotland, but perhaps fre- 

 quently overlooked owing to its small size. Fl. the whole summer. 



9. NarrcT^ Cud^treed. Gnaplialium gallicum, Huds. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 2369. Filago, Brit. Fl.) 



Very near the field C, but much more branched, the leaves almost subu- 

 late and much longer, the clusters of flower-heads very numerous and small, 

 the leaves which surround them longer than the involucres, whilst in the 

 two last they are mostly shorter. Involucres vei-y small and conical, con- 

 taining but very few florets. Some of the outermost row are embraced as 

 it were each by one of the inner bracts of the involucre, with a row of reeep- 

 tacular scales between them and the next row, thus distinguisliing this 

 species from small specimens of the marsh C-, which it sometimes resembles. 



In fields and sandy wastes, in western and southei'n Europe, becoming 



