WEEDS 241 



28. Carpet-weed 



Molltigo veriici/Iata. — Family, Ficoideae. Color, white, 

 Leaves, small, in whorls, broad and obtuse at the apex, nar- 

 nowed downward. Time, summer and September. A pros- 

 trate plant of the nature of a weed. 



The little, open, white axillary flowers give one of this plant's 

 common names — Indian chickweed. It has no petals, but 5 

 sepals, which are white inside, green outside. 



It is common, growing in sterile soil along the sides of hard 

 paths and in cultivated ground, too humble almost to attract 

 notice. 



29. Wild Carrot 



Oaucus Carota. — Family, Parsley. Color, white or pur- 

 plish. Leaves, 2 or 3, pinnately decompound. Time, summer. 



Flowers, in close umbels, i to 3 feet high. 



Too well known to need description. Imported from Europe, 

 it has become a common and most troublesome weed. After 

 flowering, the umbel becomes concave or nest-shaped. The cen- 

 tral flower of each umbel is purple and defective. In New Jersey 

 whole fields are white with wild carrot. Were it less common. 

 the soft, fine appearance of the flower, together with its prettily 

 cut leaf, might win favor. 



30. Fool's Parsley 



Aethusa C/napium.— Family, Taxsley. Color, white., Leaves, 

 ternately compound, the divisions cleft. Time, July. 



A poisonous, ill-smelling annual growing on cultivated grounds. 

 No involucre, but involucels of long and narrow hanging leaves 

 under the umbellets of white flowers. Taste, acrid and burning. 

 12 to 30 ins. high. 



31. Butter-weed. Fleabane 



Eri'geron Canadensis. — Family, Composite. Color, white. 



