36 44. COMPOSIT/E. 



Agrarian region. Infeiagrarian — Midagrarian zones. 



Descends to the coast level, in the Peninsula. 



Ascends to 100 or 200 yards, in England. 



Range of mean annual temperature 51 — 47. 



Native. Agrestal, Septal, &c. The early northward 

 termination of this species on the western side of England, 

 compared with the eastern, gives something of the Ger- 

 manic character to its distribution. But if we rely upon 

 published statements, the species re- appears plentifully in 

 the county of Lanark, and even in Scotland generally. 

 Babington, however, expressly limits it to England and 

 Ireland ; and I believe him to be showing his usual care 

 and accuracy, as a botanical author, by doing so. The 

 Picris has no place in the Flora Scotica of Lightfoot. In 

 the Flora Glottiana (Flora of Glasgow or the Clyde) of 

 Hopkirk, it is enumerated, in general terms, as found by 

 " road-sides and borders of fields, frequent." We have it 

 described in the Flora Scotica of Hooker, and its habitat 

 again indicated in precisely the same words, without the 

 mention of any locality, county, or personal authority. In 

 the Indigenous Plants of Lanarkshire, by Patrick, it is 

 likewise enumerated, and still with almost the same gene- 

 ral indication, " Frequent by road-sides and borders of 

 fields." I do not know that any other author on the local 

 botany of Scotland has mentioned this species ; and I sus- 

 pect that the following explanation will scarcely be dis- 

 puted. Hopkirk probably mistook some other plant for 

 the species now under consideration. Hooker, with that 

 hasty indifference to strict accuracy which unfortunately 

 too often appears in his valuable works, repeated Hopkirk's 

 local blunder, extended it to Scotland generally, and re- 

 corded it as if his own observation. Then comes Patrick, 

 and does likewise ; but restricting it to the one county of 

 Lanark. Nevertheless, there is just a possibility that Hop- 



