204 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



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

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

 involucre reflexed. Fiords yellow. Al<enes 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 head. , 



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

 Fl. April - August. Fr. May - September. 



Ohs. This foreigner — although not a very obnoxious plant — has 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 Deus-Leonis). 138 

 An enlarged separate floret. 139. A receptacle with a portion of the akenes remaining 

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



