428 SYNGENESIA— POLYGAM.-SUPERF. Senecio. 



outer of a smaller number of minute imbricated scales, at 

 the base of the former, and, like those, all withered, 

 mostly black, at the tips. Cor. compound, taller than 

 the calyx ; Jlorets of the disk numerous, all perfect, tu- 

 bular, with 5 equal segments ; those of the radius ligu- 

 late, slightly toothed, various in length, without stamens, 

 sometimes wanting. Filam. slender, short. Anth. in a 

 cylindrical tube. Germ, in all the florets, obovate, small. 

 Style thread-shaped, the length of the stamens. Stigmas 

 2, oblong, spreading. Seed-vessel none, but the unchanged, 

 finally spreading, calyx. Seed obovate, rather angular. 

 Dowii sessile, capillary, roughish. Recept. naked, tes- 

 sellated, slightly convex. 

 A very extensive genus, of caulescent, herbaceous or shrub- 

 by plants, natives chiefly of Europe or Africa, though 

 found also in America, and very sparingly in China and 

 Japan. Stem erect, leafy. Leaves either variously pin- 

 natifid, or undivided, serrated, smooth or downy. Fl. 

 corymbose ; yellow in the disk, and mostly so in the 

 radius ; rarely purj)le in one or the other. The black 

 withered tips of the calyx-scales afford an obvious and 

 constant generic character. 



* Flowers isoithout rays. 



1. S. vulgaris. Common Groundsel, or Simson. 



Flowers dispersed, without rays. Leaves pinnatifid, toothed, 

 obtuse, smoothish ; clasping at the base. 



S. vulgaris. Linn. Sp.Pl.\2\Q. mild.v.3. ]973. Fl.Br.S8l. 



Engl. Bot. v.]\. t. 747. Curt. Land. fuse. ].t.6l. Hook. Scot. 



243. Fl.Dan.t.!)]3. Bull. Fr. t. 197. Dreves Bilderb. t. 26. 



Rail Syn. 178. 

 S. n. 58. Hall. Hist. V. 1.25. 

 Senecio. Fuchs. Hist. 286. f. Ic. 162. f. Matth. Falgr. v.2.476.f. 



Dalech. Hist. ^75. f. Lob. /c. 225./. Trag. Hist. 285./. 

 Erigerum. Ger. Em.27S.f. 

 E. minus. Dod. Pempt. 641./. 



Verbena foemina. Brunf. Herb. v. 1. 120./ excellent. 

 Common Groundsel. Petiv. H. Brit. t. \7.f.^. 



In cultivated or waste ground, on dry banks, and the tops of walls, 

 every where. 



Annual. At all seasons. 



Root simple, with many long fibres. Herb various in size, mostly 

 smooth ; sometimes loosely woolly or downy, though very spa- 

 ringly. Stem erect, more or less branched, leafy, round, striated, 

 pale or purplish. Leaves bright green, slightly succulent, blunt- 



