MADIA 



DAISY ORDEB 



LAYIA 523 



They may also be sown out of doors in 

 April and May, but in this case it is better 

 to thin the seedlings out rather than 

 transplant them. 



TRIDAX. — A small genus of hairy or 

 smoothish annuals or perennials having 

 opposite leaves, lobed or out into narrow 

 segments. The yellow flower-heads with 

 greenish centres are borne on long stalks. 

 Involucre ovoid, bell-shaped, or hemi- 

 spherical. Eeeeptacle flat or convex. Bay 

 florets 3 -lobed or toothed. 



T. bicolor. — A much-branched tufted 

 annual 1-1^ ft. high, native of Northern 

 Mexico. The lower leaves are somewhat 

 triangular or oblong deltoid in form, and 

 about 2 in. long ; they are strongly nerved 

 and have a few blunt teeth on the margins. 

 The upper leaves become gradually smaller 

 and narrower and are mostly quite entire. 

 The flower-heads which are l|-2 in. across 

 appear from July to September, and are 

 borne singly at the end of almost every 

 shoot. In the typical plant, which does 

 not appear to be in cultivation, the ray 

 florets are white, but in the variety rosea 

 they are rosy-lUac, rather broad, with 3 

 lobes or teeth, and 15-18 in number. 



CioUureamd Propagation. — This pretty 

 plant is best treated as a hardy or half- 

 hardy annual (see p. 78) and may be 

 raised from seeds sown in cold frames as 

 soon as ripe, or in gentle heat about March, 

 afterwards pricking the seedlings out and 

 growing them on until mild weather in 

 May, when they will be ready for the 

 open air. The seeds may also be sown out 

 of doors in patches in April and May, but 

 it is then better to thin the seedlings out 

 about 18-24 in. apart rather than trans- 

 plant them. 



T. trilobata {Sogalgina or OaKnsoga 

 trilohata). — A bushy downy annual native 

 of Mexico. It grows about 18 in. high 

 and has alternate oval lance-shaped 3-lobed 

 leaves. The long-stalked golden-yellow 

 flower-heads appear from July to Septem- 

 ber, and have wedge-shaped 5-toothed ray 

 florets. 



There is another species, T. coronopi- 

 foKa, also a native of Mexico, and with 

 yellow flower-heads, that is not often seen. 



Culture dc. as above for T. bicolor. 



MADIA (Madaeia). — A genus of 

 erect annual herbs, with alternate, entire 

 or slightly toothed leaves, and yellow 

 flower-heads, sessile or stalked at the ends 

 of the branches. 



M. elegans. — A native of N.W- 

 America about 1-2^ ft. high, with spread- 

 ing stems, and linear or lance-shaped 

 leaves. Flowers in August, bright yellow, 

 disc florets bearded in the limb ; receptacle 

 conical, hairy. The other species oc- 

 casionally seen are fiUpes, sativa, and 

 viscosa. 



CuUv/re and Propagation. — These 

 plants grow in ordinary soil, and may be 

 raised from seeds sown in early spring in 

 gentle heat, or in the open border in April. 

 The species described above does best in 

 shady spots. 



LAYIA. — A genus of annual or peren- 

 nial downy or hairy herbs with narrow 

 alternate entire leaves, or the lower ones 

 rarely all pinnately divided. Flower-heads 

 heterogamous ; ray florets yellow or 

 whitish, 2-3-toothed or cleft at the apex ; 

 disc florets yellow. Involucre broadly 

 bell-shaped or hemispherical. Beceptacle 

 flat, or somewhat convex. 



Culture and Propagation. — ■ These 

 plants flourish in ordinary good garden 

 soil, especially if fairly sandy, and with 

 plenty of manure or leaf-mould m it. 

 They like open sunny situations and may 

 be grown in bold masses in the mixed 

 herbaceous border. They may be treated 

 in the way recommended for hardy or 

 half-hardy annuals at p. 78. The seeds 

 may be sown when ripe in cold frames 

 and the seedlings transplanted in spring, 

 or they may be sown in gentle heat about 

 March, afterwards pricking the seedlings 

 out and hardening them off until May, 

 when they will be sturdy enough for the 

 outdoor garden. Seeds may also be sown 

 in the open border in April and May, and 

 the seedlings thimied out about 12 or 18 

 in. apart. 



L. Calliglossa (Oxyura chrysanthe- 

 moides). — A pretty Calif ornian annual 

 12-18 in. high, with lower leaves pinnately 

 divided, and the upper ones entire. The 

 yellow flower-heads 2-3 in. across, with 

 broad oblong 3-lobed ray florets {the 

 outer portion of which is white), appear 

 during the summer and autumn (accord- 

 ing to the period of sowing the seeds), and 

 are borne singly at the ends of the shoots. 



Culture dc. as above. 



L. elegans. — A graceful Californian 

 annual 12-15 in. high with stems and 

 leaves covered with soft downy hairs, 

 which give the plants a whitish or glaucous 

 appearance. The leaves are linear lance- 



