204 



WEEDS AXD USEFUL PLANTS. 



terete, each bearing a single head. Involucre ohlong, — the inner scales lance-linear, ap- 

 pressed, with scarious margins — the outer ones reflexed, slightly cihate, — ^finally the entire 

 involucre reflexed. Fiords yellow. AJcenes terminating in a leak., which is short at first, 

 then suddenly elongating to about three-fourths of an inch in length, filiform, bearing the 

 pappus at summit, diverging so as to form a globose bead. 



Pastures, &c.: nearly throughout the United States : introduced. Native of Europe. 

 Ft. April - August. Fr. May - September. 



Obs. This foreigner — althongli not a very obnoxious plant — Las be- 

 come so thoroughly naturalized as to be more abundant than welcome, 

 in our pasture-grounds and meadows : and yet, if it cannot be repressed 

 or smothered out by better plants, it will be a difficult task to extirpate 

 it, — as myriads of seeds are annually wafted over the country by 



Fig. 137. Flower and leaf of the common Dandelion (Taraxacum Dens-Leonis). 138 

 An enlarged separate floret. 139. A receptacle witb a portion of the ake^es remaining 

 140. An enlarged akene with the pappus at the end of its elongated beak. 



