COMPOSITE. 



415 



2. Butterbur Coltsfoot. Tussilago Petasites, Linn. 

 (Fig. 492.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 431, and T. hybrida, Eng. Bot. t. 430. Butterbur.) 



Leaves of the common C, but usually- 

 larger. Flowering stems not in tufts, 

 often a foot high when full-grown, with 

 many flower-heads, of a dull pinkish- 

 purple, in a narrow-oblong terminal 

 panicle, and almost dioecious. The male 

 plant . has a looser panicle of smaller 

 heads, the florets either all tubular and 

 male (the pistil, although apparently 

 perfect, having no ovule and forming no 

 seed), or with a few filiform female ones 

 on the outside ; the female panicle more 

 compact, the heads larger, the florets all 

 filiform, or with a few tubular male ones 

 in the centre. 



In sandy meadows, on the banks of 

 streams, or roadsides, in Europe and 

 Russian Asia, but not an Arctic plant. 

 Frequent in England, extending into 

 southern Scotland. FL spring. It is often distinguished from Colts- 

 foot as a genus, under the name of Petasites. 



The winter Heliotrope of our gardens, or sweet Coltsfoot (Tussilago 

 fragrans), will sometimes establish itself near where it has been planted; 

 it is very near the Butterbur, but easily known by its fragrant flowers. 



Fig. 492. 



III. ASTER. ASTER. 



Herbs usually erect, with alternate, entire or toothed leaves, and 

 radiate flower-heads in terminal corymbs. Involucral bracts imbri- 

 cated in few rows. Florets of the ray ligulate, purple or white, those 

 of the disk tubular and yellow. Branches of the style somewhat 

 flattened, and pointed. Anthers without tails. Achenes flattened, 

 with a pappus of many hairs. 



A very numerous North American genus, with a few species spread 

 over northern Asia, Europe, and some other parts of the world. Se- 

 veral of the North American ones are known among the autumnal 



