230 THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. [Filago. 



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. E., 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 F. — 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 1 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 Kussian 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 uliginosum, 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. FL 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. Keceptacie 

 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. 



