COMPOSITAE 479 



toothed, thin, the basal ones numerous. Heads numerous about 1 cm long, 

 in open panicles, the branches often with muph reduced, bract-like leaves. 

 Flowers yellow. 



Extensively cultivated for the local markets, occasionally flowering; not 

 spontaneous. A native of Europe, now cultivated in all warm countries. 



25. SONCHUS Linnaeus 



Annual or perennial, erect herbs with milky juice. Leaves alternate, 

 those of the stem often clasping, toothed or pinnatifid, segments often 

 spinulose-toothed. Heads in lax, subcorymbose panicles, yellow. Flowers 

 all ligulate. Involucre cylindric to campanulate, the bracts several-seriate, 

 the outer ones shorter; receptacle naked. Achenes ovoid to ellipsoid, com- 

 pressed, not beaked, the ribs smooth or wrinkled; pappus white, the hairs 

 very numerous, slender. (The ancient Greek name for some species.) 



Species about 25, in the north temperate region, few in tropical countries, 

 2 introduced in the Philippines. 



1. S. OLERACEUS L. 



An erect, annual herb, pubescent or slightly glandular, 40 to 60 cm 

 high, branched above. Leaves oblong to lanceolate, coarsely lyrately lobed, 

 the lobes somewhat reflexed, spinulose-toothed, those of the stem clasping 

 at the base, 10 to 20 cm long. Heads peduncled, about 1 cm long, the 

 bracts glabrous, thin, green; flowers numerous, yellow. Achenes nearly 

 S mm long, ribbed, rough. 



Casual in disturbed or cultivated soil, fl. April-Aug., occasional in the 

 Philippines, especially in the Mountain Province, Luzon. A native of 

 Europe, now a widely distributed weed of cultivation. 



26. CREPIS Linnaeus 



Annual, glabrous or hairy, erect herbs. Leaves mostly radical and 

 rosulate, some cauline, entire, toothed, or pinnatifid. Heads small, corym- 

 bose, yellow, flowers all homogamous and ligulate. Involucre cylindric, 

 the outer few bracts very much smaller than the linear, 1-seriate, inner 

 ones. Achenes small, many-ribbed, narrowed at both ends; pappus soft, 

 white. (Ancient Greek name for some plant, from the Greek "sandal.") 



Species 130 or more, mostly in the north temperate zone of the Old 

 World, 1, probably introduced, in the Philippines. 



1. C. JAPONicA (L.) Benth. 



An erect, slender, annual, glabrous or slightly pubescent herb 15 to 30 

 cm high, stems one to several from each root. Radical leaves obovate, 

 thin, sinuate-toothed to nearly entire, 5 to 15 cm long. Sttems slender, 

 erect, nearly leafless, corymbosely branched at the top, the branches spread- 

 ing. Heads 5 to 6 mm long, the involucral bracts green. 



Occasional as a weed in gardens, B. all the year; widely distributed in 

 the Philippines chiefly at medium altitudes in cultivated ground, etc. 

 Widely distributed in tropical Asia, extending to Mauritius, Japan, and 

 Ma;laya. 



In addition to the species above considered, several representatives of 

 the family are cultivated in Manila, from annually imported seeds, such as 

 Zinnia elegana L., various horticultural forms of Coreopsis, a species of 

 Aster, locally known as "consueldo," and some forms of Dahlia. 



