COMPOSITE. 323 



More numerous in species than HawTchit, it has also a wider geographical 

 range, extending over Europe, Russian Asia, North America, and western 

 and southern South America. 

 Involucres oblong, nearly glabrous. 

 Florets scarcely longer than the involucres. Outer achenes with- 



out a beak 1. Glabrous S. 



Florets longer than the involucres. All the achenes ending in a 



slender beak 2. Lonq-rooted S. 



Involucres large, hemispherical, and hairy 3. Spotted H. 



1. Glabrous Hypochoere. Hypochoeris glabra, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 575.) 



Much resembles the long-rooted H., but is a smaller plant, with an annual 

 root, and quite glabrous ; the stems seldom attain a foot in height, with 

 much smaller flower-heads, although the involucres become much elongated 

 after flowering. The achenes are similarly wrinkled, and have the same 

 featliery pappus, which however is sessile on the achenes of the outer florets, 

 whilst on the central ones it is. supported on a slender beak, as in the long- 

 rooied H. 



Although generally spread over central and southern Europe, and natu- 

 ralized even in distant temperate climates, it is much less common than the 

 long-rooted M., growing chiefly in sandy situations. Thinly scattered over 

 England, the Scottish stations are still fewer, and not recorded from Ireland. 

 FL summer. 



2. Iiong-rooted Elypochcere. SZypochoeris radicata, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 831. Cafs-ear.) 



Rootstock perennial. Leaves all radical, spreading, narrow, more or less 

 toothed or pinnately lobed, hispid on both sides with stiif hairs. Stems 

 erect and leafless, 1 to 2 feet high, usually divided like the atdumttal Haivk- 

 bit into two or three long branches or peduncles, sHghtly thickened upwards, 

 each bearing a few small scales, and terminated by a rather large head of 

 flowers. Involucres near an inch long, narrow but somewhat thickened at 

 the base ; the bracts imbricated in several rows, the outer ones smaller, all 

 glabrous or with a few short hairs on the back. Scales of the receptacle 

 long, narrow,- and finely pointed, Achenes transversely wrinkled, all nar- 

 rowed into a long slender beak with a feathery pappus. 



In meadows, pastures, and waste places, throughout Europe, except the 

 extreme north, but scarcely extends into Asia. Abundant in Britain, ex- 

 tending far into the north of Scotland. Fl. summer and autumn. 



3. Spotted Hypochoere. SSypochoeris maculata, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 225.) 



Rootstock perennial. Leaves all or mostly radical, spreading, broadly 

 obovate, or rarely oblong, coarsely toothed or nearly entire, hairy on both 

 sides, and often spotted. Flower-stem erect, 1 to 2 feet high, usually simple, 

 but occasionally bearing a small leaf near the base, and terminated by a' 

 single large flower-head ; the involucre broad and hairy. The stem is rarely 

 forked, with two flower-heads. 



In open pastm-es, and meadows, widely spread over Europe and Russian 

 Asia, chiefly in mountain districts, altliough not an Arctic plant. Rare in 

 Britain, the only rehable locahties being in Suflblk, Cambridgeshire, and 

 North Wales. Fl. summer. 



