62 BRITISH HIERACLi. 



rarely elongated, with strong fibres. Stem erectj usually rigid, 

 sometimes rather fistulose j with scattered hairs especially in the 

 lower part (sometimes glabrous when old), more or less floccose 

 above ; usually leafy and simple, occasionally branched in the upper 

 part (rarely from the base) ; forming a corymbose panicle of nu- 

 merous heads on rigid, erect or diverging rather short peduncles : in 

 the Alpine form sometimes sub-corymbose with few (5 to 7) larger 

 heads on more elongated and remote peduncles. Leaves dull or pale 

 green, frequently tinged or blotched with reddish purple. Koot- 

 leaves not numerous, sometimes reduced to 1 or 2 when the 

 plant is in flower, and withering before the stem-leaves ; lanceo- 

 late, ovate-lanceolate, or ovate ; hairy or sub-glabrous above ; den- 

 ticulate, sub-entire, or with elongated spreading teeth at the base 

 descending on to the more or less decurrent hairy petioles. Stem- 

 leaves usually numerous and with sharp teeth (pointing forwards) 

 near the middle, entire towards the point, rarely entire through- 

 out ; acute or acuminate ; lower ones more or less stalked ; upper 

 ones sessile, or sub-sessile : occasionally (in the Alpine form) 

 with 1 or few large ovate-lanceolate sharply toothed sessile, or 

 entire sub-sessile stem-leaves. Peduncles straight ; that bearing 

 the primary head usually short and much surpassed by the 

 more or less diverging lateral ones; uppermost often closely 

 aggregated; floccose, and more or less setose; supported by 

 bracts, never leafy. Involucres ovate, or truncate at the base 

 after flowering ; sometimes nearly destitute of stellate down and 

 black-based hairs. Phyllaries rather broad, evenly narrowed to 

 a sub-acute or bluntly acuminate point: occasionally (in the 

 primary head, when luxuriant in the Alpine form), more attenuate 

 and cuspidate. Morels golden yellow. Styles always more or 

 less livid. 



far. cinereum is conspicuous for its colour, which is inter- 

 mediate between that of H. ceesium and H. argenteum. Possibly 

 this plant may be identical with the var. ericetorum of Fries, which 

 is described as having "involucres without glands." In bur 



