COMPOUND FLOWERS 159 



10. HiERAciuM (Hawk-weed) 



1. //. Pilosella (Mouse-ear Hawk-weed), — Stem single-flowered, 

 leafless, 2~io inches high ; leaves radicle, small, oblong or lanceo- 

 late, entire, a few long hairs above, hoary beneath with stellate 

 down ; floiver-heads borne singly, bright lemon colour, often red- 

 dish on the under side. Well distinguished from all other British 

 plants of the Order by its creeping scions, by its hairy undivided 

 leaves, which are hoary imdcrneath, ancL by its bright lemon- 

 coloured flowers. Banks and dry pastures ; common. — Fl. May 

 to July. Perennial. 



2. H. niuro-ntm- (Wall Hawk-weed). — A very variable plant, 

 1-3 feet high ; the stem bears usually one, sometimes more, leaves ; 

 is branched above, and bears usually 3 or 4, sometimes more, yellow 

 flower-heads ; the root-leaves are stalked, hairy, ovate or oblong, 

 sometimes toothed, very variable. Walls and rocks ; common. — 

 Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



3. H. sylvaticum (Wood Hawk-weed). — Stem many flowered, 

 with a few leaves ; leaves narrow, egg-shaped, toothed, with the 

 teeth pointing upwards ; involucre hoary with down. A very 

 variable plant, both in size and habit. The leaves are sometimes 

 very slightly toothed, at other times deeply so, and often spotted 

 with purple ; the flowers are large and yellow. There are many 

 varieties intermediate between H. sylvaticum and H. nmrorum. 

 Woods and banks ; common. — Fl. August, September. Perennial. 



4. H. Sabaudum (Shrubby Hawk-weed). — Stem rigid, many- 

 flowered, leafy ; lower leaves tapering into a short stalk ; upper 

 sessile, rounded at the base. As variable a plant as the last. 

 Woods and banks ; frequent. — Fl. August, September. Perennial. 



5. H. mnbellatum (Narrow-leaved Hawk- weed). — Stem rigid, 

 many flowered, leafy ; leaves narrow, slightly toothed ; flowers in 

 a terminal corymb ; scales of the involucre reflexed at the point. 

 A tall plant, 2-3 feet high, with a remarkably erect growth, un- 

 branched, and terminating in an almost umbellate tuft of large, 

 yellow flowers. Woods ; not unfrequent.— Fl. August, September. 

 Perennial. 



6. H. aiirantiacum (Orange Hawk-weed). ^This is a garden escape, 

 and grows about a foot high, bearing dense corymbs of deep orange 

 flower-heads, with a fragrance not unlike that of the garden Helio- 

 trope. 



This is an exceedingly difficult genus ; even the six species here 

 given, though comparatively distinct, are most variable. Over 

 a hundred have been classified as distinct species, but it is a moot 

 point whether many of these should not be considered mere varieties. 

 • In any case it is not thought necessary to give even the names 

 here. 



