230 THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 
of a pale yellow or brown; the bracts usually acute. Florets shorter 
than the involucres ; the outer filiform ones mostly concealed among 
the scales of the receptacle (or inner bracts of the involucre), with a 
few, chiefly tubular, in the centre, without scales. 
In dry pastures, and stony or sandy wastes, over the whole of 
Europe and western Asia except the extreme north. Abundant in 
England and Ireland, rather less so in Scotland. Fl. the whole summer. 
It has been subdivided into several supposed species, upon characters 
derived from the shorter or longer, and more or less obtuse or acute 
floral leaves, from the quantity of cotton on the involucres, and from 
their obtuse or acute bracts. [Of these F. apiculata, G. H., Sm., is a tall 
variety with purplish boat-shaped bracts; and F. spathulata, Presl., a 
_ short one with broader leaves. Both are confined to the east or south- 
east of England. ] 
2. F. minima, Willd. (fig. 506). Field /—A much more slender 
and smaller annual than F. germanica, which it otherwise resembles in 
foliage and in mode of growth. It is more irregularly branched at the 
top, the leaves smaller, the clusters of flower-heads smaller and more 
numerous, each consisting of from 3 to 10 minute conical heads. In- 
volucres cottony at the base, shining at the tips, and only one or two 
outer rows of filiform florets are amongst the scales of the receptacle. 
In fields, and stony or sandy wastes, with a wider range than that of 
F, germanica, extending all across Russian Asia, and more common in 
the north, although not an Arctic plant. In Britain it has been ob- 
served in various localities, but is perhaps frequently overlooked owing 
to its small size. Fl. the whole summer. 
3. F. gallica, Huds. (fig. 507). Narrow F.—Very near F. minima, 
but much more branched, the leaves almost subulate and much longer, 
the clusters of flower-heads very numerous and small, the leaves which 
surround them longer than the involucres, whilst in the last two they 
are mostly shorter. Involucres very small and conical, containing but 
very few florets. Some of the outermost rows are embraced as it were 
each by one of the inner bracts of the involucre, with a row of recep- 
tacular scales between them and the next row, thus distinguishing this 
species from small specimens of Gnaphalium uliginoswm, which it some- 
times resembles. . 
In fields and sandy wastes, in western and southern Europe, becoming 
rare in Germany. Very local in Britain, having been chiefly recorded 
from some of the south-eastern counties of England, and the Channel ~ 
Islands. £1. summer. 
VII. GNAPHALIUM. CUDWEED. 
Herbs, more or less covered with a grey or white cottony wool; the 
leaves narrow and entire. Flower-heads small, sessile, often clustered, 
rarely forming terminal corymbs. Involucral bracts imbricated, cottony 
outside, and more or less dry, scarious, and often coloured at the tips, 
and sometimes spreading, but not in the British species. Receptacle 
small, without any scales. Florets of the centre tubular, often barren, 
those of the circumference filiform, female, in several rows. Anthers 
with minute bristles or hair-like points (tails) at their base. Style- 
branches truncate. Achenes with a pappus of simple hairs. 
