476 



THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



2. Purple Salsify. Tragopogon porrifolium, Linn. 



(Fig. 571.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 638. Salsify or Salsafy.) 



It is difficult to assign any positive 

 character to distinguish this from the 

 meadow S. beyond the colour of the 

 florets, which is of a very deep violet- 

 blue or purple. It is generally of more 

 luxuriant growth, the peduncles more 

 thickened at the top, the involucres 

 longer in proportion to the florets, and 

 the beak of the achenes and pappus 

 longer. 



In meadows and pastures, in the Me- 

 diterranean region, but only as an intro- 

 duced plant in central and northern Eu- 

 rope, having been long cultivated for 

 culinary purposes. In Britain, confined 

 to southern England, where it appears 

 to be well established in some localities. 

 Fl. early summer. 

 Fig. 571. 



XXIX. HELMINTH. IIELMfflTHIA. 



Habit and pappus of Picris, from which it only differs in the invo- 

 lucre, of which the outer bracts are broadly cordate and leafy, and in 

 the achenes narrowed at the top into a short beak. 



1. Oxtongue Helminth. Helminthia echioides, Gbertn. 



(Fig. 572.) 



(Picris, Eng. Bot. t. 972.) 



A coarse, erect annual or biennial, 1 to 2 or 3 feet high, rough with 

 numerous short, stiff, almost prickly hairs, often hooked as in Picris. 

 Leaves lanceolate, sinuate or coarsely toothed, very rough ; the lower 

 ones narrowed at the base ; the upper ones clasping the stem or shortly 

 decurrent. Flower-heads rather small, rather crowded, on short pe- 

 duncles, forming- an irregular terminal corymb. Outer broad bracts 



