Taraxacum. | XLII, COMPOSITE. 265 
tacle without scales. Achenes tapering into a long slender beak, with a 
pappus of numerous simple hairs. 
A widely diffused genus, of which all the described species may perhaps 
be considered as varieties of a single one, differing from Leontodon in the 
simple hairs of the pappus, from Crepis chiefly in the leafless simple 
peduncles. : 
1, T. Dens-leonis, Desf. (fig. 593). Common Dandelion.—The root- 
stock descends into a thick tap-root, black on the outside, and very bitter. 
Leaves varying from linear-lanceolate and almost entire to deeply pinna- 
tifid, with broad triangular lobes usually pointing downwards, the terminal 
one larger, obovate or acute. Peduncles 2 to 6 or 8 inches high. Invo- 
lucral bracts linear, often thickened towards the top, or with a tooth on 
the back below the point. Achenes slightly or not at all compressed, 
striated, markéd upwards with short, pointed asperities, the beak two or 
three times as long as the achene itself. 7. oficinale, Web. 
In meadows and pastures; cultivated and waste places, throughout 
Europe, Russian, and central Asia, and northern America to the Arctic 
regions, and now a troubleseme weed in almost all cultivated parts of the 
world. Among the numerous forms which have given rise to the distinc- 
tion of a considerable number of supposed species, the most remarkable 
British ones are the common 7’. Dens-leonis, with pinnatifid leaves and the 
outer involucral bracts much recurved, and 7. palustre with narrow leaves 
nearly entire or sinuate, and the outer involucral bracts scarcely spreading 
at the tips. 
XXXVI. CREPIS. CREPIS. 
Annuals or biennials, rarely forming a stock of longer duration, usually 
glabrous or slightly hairy, with branched, more or less leafy stems, and 
rather small heads of flowers in loose panicles, yellow in the British species. 
Involucre of several nearly equal linear inner bracts, with smaller outer 
ones. Receptacle without scales. Achenes not compressed, angular or 
striated, more or less narrowed at the top or beaked, with a pappus of 
copious simple hairs, usually very, white. 
One of the largest genera of Ligulate in Europe and Asia, with a very 
few American species, all nearly allied to Hieracium, but mostly distin- 
guished by habit, as well as by the achenes contracted at the top and the 
white pappus. ‘There are some species, however, so nearly intermediate 
between the two genera that they are referred to the one or to the other 
according to the particular views of individual botanists. 
Achenes narrowed into a distinct, slender beak (Barkhausia). 
Allthe achenes with a long, slender beak. Outer involucral 
bracts lanceolate, whitish at the edges . : ° : . 1. Ctaraxacifolia. 
Achenes of the outer florets scarcely beaked, the others with a 
long beak. Other involucral bracts small, and very narrow 2, C. fetida. 
Achenes contracted at the top, but without a distinct beak. 
_ Lower leaves pinnatifid, or verynarrow. Flower-heads nume- 
rous. Pappus very white, and silky. 
Outer bracts of the involucre narrow-linear . ‘ 4 . 3. C. virens, 
Outer bracts of the involucre oblong-linear, with a whitish 
edge . 4. C. biennis. 
Leaves mostly oblong, coarsely toothed or entire. Flower- 
heads few. Pappus not very white, and rather stiff. 
