COMPOSITE FAMILY 



Flower-heads. — Radiate, white, with a bluish centre, having a spread 

 of two and a half to three inches; rays many, fertile, white on upper 

 surface, with a dash of yellow at the base, pale lilac-blue beneath; disk- 

 florets blue with white pollen. 



Involucre. — ^A flat-bottomed cup of three to four rows of woolly 

 bracts, with free tips, and two or three rows of thin, translucent bracts 

 nearest the rays. 



Receptacle. — Flat or slightly convex, honeycombed and fimbriated. 



Pappus. — ^Abundant, of white plumose bristles. 



Akenes. — Shaggy, with white bristles. 



Arctotis is a remarkably handsome annual from south-western 

 Africa, and a most valuable addition to our list of summer flowers. 

 It belongs to the daisy t)fpe of white-rayed composites; its flower- 

 heads on long stems are large and showy, being pure-white on the 

 upper surface, embellished with a yellow zone near the disk; the 

 reverse of the ray is pale lilac-blue. Under the influence of bright 

 sunlight the flower becomes almost flat and the pure-white of the 

 rays contrasts charmingly with the pale-blue disk with its slightly 

 projecting white stamens. The flowers close at night to open the 

 next morning. 



MARIGOLD. CALENDULA 



Calendula officincUis. 



Calendula, Latin calendm, the first day of each month, referring 

 to its continuous flowering in the climate of England. 



This Marigold is often grouped among sweet herbs, having been used 

 as a^flavor for soups and meats. Native to the Mediterranean region. 

 Annual. Summer. 



Stems. — Erect, branching, one to two feet high. 



Leaves. — Alternate, obovate. 



Flower-heads. — Radiate, orange to yellow, two inches across; rays 

 in several series, fertile; disk-florets tubular, staminate only,, producing 

 no seeds. 



Involucre. — Of one or two series of close-growing, pointed bracts. 

 Receptacle. — Flat. 



Akenes. — Curved and without pappus; only the outer circle of ray- 

 florets produces seeds. 



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