482 



THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



Long-rooted Hypochoere. Hypochceris radicata, Linn. 



(Fig. 578.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 831. Oafs-ear.) 



Rootstock perennial. Leaves all ra- 

 dical, spreading, narrow, more or less 

 toothed or pinnately lobed, hispid on 

 both sides with stiff hairs. Stems erect 

 and leafless, 1 to 2 feet high, usually di- 

 vided like the autumnal HawJcbit into 

 two or three long branches or peduncles, 

 slightly thickened upwards, each bear- 

 ing a few small scales, and terminated 

 by a rather large head of flowers. In- 

 volucres near an inch long, narrow but 

 somewhat thickened at the base ; the 

 bracts imbricated in several rows, the 

 outer ones smaller, all glabrous or with 

 a few short hairs on the back. Scales of 

 the receptacle long, narrow, and finely 

 pointed. Achenes transversely wrinkled, 

 all narrowed into a long slender beak 

 with a feathery pappus. 



In meadows, pastures, and waste 

 places throughout Europe, except the extreme north, but scarcely ex- 

 tends into Asia. Abundant in Britain, extending far into the north 

 of Scotland. Fl. summer and autumn. 



3. Spotted Hypochoere. Hypochceris maculata, Linn. 

 (Fig. 579.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 225.) 



Rootstock perennial. Leaves all or mostly radical, spreading, 

 broadly obovate, or rarely oblong, coarsely toothed or nearly entire, 

 hairy onboth sides, and often spotted. Flower-stem erect, 1 to 2 feet high, 

 usually simple, but occasionally bearing a small leaf near the base, and 

 terminated by a single large flower-head ; the involucre broad and 

 hairy. The stem is rarely forked, with two flower-heads. 



