COMPOSITiE. 325 



striated, varying in colour from nearly white to nearly black, with a slender 

 beak about the length of the achene. 



In dry or stony wastes, on banks and roadsides, in central and southern 

 Europe, extending over a great part of central Asia. Thinly scattered in 

 Britain, from southern England to the low tracts in the south-east High- 

 lands of Scotland. Fl. summer. The name of L. Scariola is often limited 

 to the varieties with more erect leaves, with deeper and narrower lobes ; 

 and those with broader leaves, toothed only, and not so glaucous, have been 

 considered as a distinct species, under the name of L. virosa (Eng. Bot. t. 

 1957). 



3. Vyillo'w Ijettuce. Iiactuca saligna, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 707.) 



Very near the prickly L., but more slender and twiggy ; the leaves up- 

 right against the stem, and narrower ; the stiff panicles with branches so 

 short that the flower-heads appear clustered in a simple spike ; and the 

 beak of the achene from twice to three times its own length. These cha- 

 racters are however so variable as to occasion some doubt whether the two 

 species are really distinct. 



The commonest foi-m in the Mediterranean and Caucasian regions, ex- 

 tending to some parts of central Europe. Rare in Britain ; most certainly 

 recorded from the banks of the Thames in Kent. Fl. surnmer. 



XXXIV. SOTVTHISTLE. SONCHUS. 



Erect, leafy herbs, either glabrous or with more or less glandular hairs on 

 the panicles ; the leaves usually pinnately lobed or coarsely toothed, and 

 clasping the stem at the base ; the flower-heads in terminal panicles, with 

 numerous yellow or blue florets. Involucre ovoid, with imbricated bracts, 

 and usually becoming conical after flowering. Achenes flattened and stiiate, 

 not beaked ; the pappus sessile, of numerous simple hairs. 



A considerable genus, spread over the temperate regions of the northern 

 hemisphere, distinguished from Lettuce by the sessile pappus, from Crepis 

 and Satckweed by the flattened achenes. 



Flowers yellow. Pappus white and silty. 

 Perennials. Flower-heads large. Involucres hairy at the base. 



Marsh plant, the auricles of the leaves narrow and acute .... 2. Marsh S. 



Field weed, the auricles of the leaves short and broad 1. Carn S. 



Annuals. Flower-heads rather small and pale. Involucres glabrous , 3. Common S. 



Flowers blue. Pappus of stiff, bristly hairs, of a dirty white .... 4. Alpine S. 



1. Corn SoTTthistle. Sonchus arvensis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 674.) 

 Rootstock creeping. Stems 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves long, pinnatifid or 

 sinuate, the lobes lanceolate or triangular, more or less curved do^vnwards, 

 and bordered by small prickly teeth ; the lower ones stalked, the upper ones 

 clasping the stem with short, broad auricles. Flower-heads large, of a 

 bright yellow, in loose terminal panicles ; the branches, peduncles, and invo- 

 lucres more or less hispid with brown or black glandular hau-s. Achenes 

 striated and tranversely wrinkled, with a pappus «f copious, white, sUky 

 hairs. 



A cornfield weed, extending over the whole of Europe and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Common in Britain. Fl. summer and autumn. ' 



2 F 



