1248 On the Position of the Composite and — [December | 
stantly the same, we find the metropolis of the order. There 
they are the most abundant. So, too, was man first developed in | 
the tropics, or at least in countries with a tropical or semi-trop- 
cal climate. ty 
But what argument, it might be asked, can be adduced to jus 
tify the statement that the Composite were first developed in the 
tropical regions? Principally because the season of flowering of — 
nearly the whole family is, in the temperate regions, in summer — 
or in fall. The further north the place of origin of a plant is, 
the earlier will it bloom in countries situated towards the equator. 
Nearly all the members, for instance, of the Ranunculacee which 
have a northern distribution, bloom very early in the spring. So 
those species of Composite with a northern extension bloom — 
first, and only those, while the more southern forms come latet 
into bloom in their northern habitats. So that we would seem — 
justified in concluding that as so many of our Composite do not 
bloom with us in the temperate regions until late in summer ot 
in autumn, that they have originated in the countries close to oF 
on the equator. : 
Let us now look at the flowers. We find that what looks to 3 } 
superficial observer like a single flower, and is the eG 
flower of the old botanists, is really a cluster, a head of ee : 
flowers set on a common receptacle. The central florets 1 w 
majority of the genera are all perfect and produce seed. pee if 
Tubuliflore, comprising the larger part of the family, leon ue 
many genera with the outer flowers modified for a specs E : 
pose. While the disk florets are tubular, with five lobes yer : 
corolla, the outer ones often become ligulate; the lower M a a 
remaining as a tube, and the upper portion spread out 1 
broad ray with from two to five teeth, representing the í adi 
lobes of the corolla. The ray flowers sometimes pa de 
oftener they are sterile, and their only purpose is to cad tele 
find a definite number of stamens, five, all perfect, a! 
the corolla tube and fastened into a ring, and shedding 
len into the tube. Again, that the flowers-are all 
and though the anthers and pistil are both present 
