GROUNDSEL. SOWTHISTLE. 



19 



The " Senecio vulgaris," or the " common groundsel," 

 belongs to the first section of the genus. " Flowers without 

 a radius." Scattered. Leaves situated in a pinnate form, 

 toothed, embracing the stem. Root annual, fibrous. 

 Stem erect, branched, leafy, somewhat panicled, round, 

 angular, either smooth or clothed with a cottony down like 

 the back of the foliage. Leaves alternate, bright green, 

 radical ones, stalked, those of the stem sessile, auriculate. 

 Flowers terminal, scattered or panicled, yellow. Seeds 

 furrowed, pubescent. Seed-down sessile, rough. The 

 great peculiarity in the genus " Senecio," of having the 

 scales of the calyx withered, is very conspicuous in the 

 present species, whose flower-buds and young-tops are the 

 food of many small birds, both wild and domestic. 



The "common groundsel" flowers throughout the year, 

 almost in any soil or situation. It delights most in soft 

 damp situations, as compost heaps of earths, or lands of the 

 above texture. The root being annual, it only remains to 

 prevent the seeds being perfected, by very careful and 

 repeated hoeings and scuflilings of the drilled crops. Where 

 such weeds are very numerous, the best way is to cut them 

 with the hoe when in full flower, and carry them ofl* the field. 



13. The " Sowthistle," or the "Sonchus" of botanists, 

 sometimes grows luxuriantly among corn crops. The plant 

 belongs to the class and order " Syngenesia Polygamia 

 Equalis" of Linneus, and the natural order " Cichoraceae," 

 of Jussieu. 



Generic character. — Common calyx imbricated, bellying, 

 of numerous, linear, unequal scales. Corolla compound, 

 imbricated, uniform. Florets all perfect, numerous, equal, 

 of one petal, hgulate, linear, .abrupt, with five teeth. 

 Stamina, filaments five, capillary very short; anthers 

 united into a cylindrical tube. Pistil germen nearly ovate ; 

 style thread-shaped, the length of the stamens. Stigmas 

 two, reflexed. Pericarp none, except the calyx, closing 

 into the form of a depressed globe, with a conical point. 

 Seeds soKtary, rather oblong. Down capillary, sessile. 

 Receptacle naked. 



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