LEOPA1WS-BANE. 91 



have represented one of these leaves in our illustration 

 behind the flower. Had we had room to represent the 

 whole of the leaf -stalk and its attachment to the stem, 

 it would have been seen that it embraced it by a broad 

 dilation at its base. The upper leaves, as our figure also 

 shows, are simple in character, small, and without stalks, 

 the bases of them partially embracing the stems. The 

 main stems are between two and three feet high, very 

 slightly clothed with leaves, erect in general direction, and 

 very slightly branching, if at all. The flower-heads are 

 large and attractive-looking, conspicuous both from their 

 size and their brilliant colour. The rays that surround the 

 central disk are numerous and rather long in proportion to 

 their breadth when compared with the corresponding part 

 in many other composite flower-heads. The plant is a 

 perennial, and its blossoms should be looked for in May, 

 June, and July. The general effect of the plant is that of 

 a large mass of rich green leaves near the ground, and 

 some few rather weak-looking stems bearing the flower- 

 heads rising from their midst. We can well remember 

 the impression its brilliant foliage and blossoms caused 

 when we first saw the plant. 



The generic name is open to considerable question. 

 Some would tell us that it is compounded of two Greek 

 words signifying gift and victory, because it gave men the 

 power of destroying wild beasts ; while others say that it 

 is a corruption of the Arabic name, doronigi, of the plant. 

 The name was bestowed on the genus by Linnaeus. The 

 Eastern nations introduced many valuable medicinal plants 

 into Europe, and the writings of the Arab physicians 

 were held in high repute, so that the Arabic origin of the 

 name is not really so far-fetched as may at first sight 



