472 



THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and western Asia, 

 except the extreme north, extending probably all across .Russian Asia. 

 Very abundant in Britain. Fl. all summer. The two forms, with or 

 without the outer row of large florets, are so different in appearance 

 that it has often been attempted to distinguish them as species, but it has 

 been now proved that they are mere varieties, and it is even believed 

 by some that the same plant will appear in some years with and in 

 others without the ray. The C. Jacea (Eng. Bot. t. 1678) is a variety, 

 occurring occasionally in England, more frequently in some parts of 

 the Continent, with the appendages of the involucral scales of a much 

 paler colour, with a much shorter fringe, or only jagged. This form 

 passes, however, gradually into the common one. 



2. Greater Centaurea. Centaurea scabiosa, Linn. (Fig. 565.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 56.) 



A stouter plant than the black C, 

 more branched at the base ; the leaves 

 "^y deeply pinnatifid, with linear or lanceo- 

 late lobes, often coarsely toothed or 

 lobed. Flower-heads large, with purple 

 florets, the outer ones always enlarged 

 and neuter. Involucral bracts broad, 

 bordered only with a black appressed 

 fringe, leaving the green centre exposed. 

 Pappus of stiff hairs or bristles nearly as 

 long as the achene. 



In pastures, waste places, roadsides, 

 etc., throughout Europe and Bussian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Bather 

 frequent in England, less so in Scotland, 

 and scarcely indigenous beyond south- 

 eastern Perth and Forfar. Fl. summer 

 and autumn. 

 ~E\%. 565. 



3. Corn Centaurea. Centaurea Cyanus, Linn. (Fig. 566.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 277. Bluebottle or Cornflower) 



An erect, branching annual, about 2 feet high, covered with a loose 

 cottony down. Lower leaves usually toothed or pinnatifid; upper 



