corymbose at the top. Leaves alternate, sessile, undivided, strap- 
shaped, or slightly spear-shaped, pointed, two or three inches long, 
smooth on both sides, and somewhat shining, of a deep green colour, 
closely, very minutely and sharply serrated, with bristly teeth. 
Flowers white in the disk as well as in the ray, larger than in most of 
the genus, and with a greater number of ligulate (strap-shaped) florets. 
Calyx rather hemispherical. Seeds compressed, dilated at the edges 
(having a kind of wing on each side), but not crowned at the top. 
The whole plant, ancl especially the root, has a pungent, biting taste, and 
when chewed in the mouth, like Pellitory of Spain, it promotes a flow of saliva, 
and is found serviceable in the cure of the tooth-ache. In the Spring, the 
young tender shoots are put into salads to correct the coldness of other 
herbs. The dried powder of the leaves snuffed up the nostrils excites sneezing, 
hence it has acquired the name of Sneeze-wort. Horses, cows, sheep, goats, 
and swine eat it. A variety with double flowers is not uncommon in gardens, 
where it is known by the name of Double Ptarmica, or Batchelors' Buttons. 
In this variety the leaves are truly spear-shaped, with deeper serratures ; and 
all the florets, except a few in the very centre of the disk, are strap-shaped. — 
Merrett, in his Pinax, published in 1666, mentions the double-flowered 
Ptarmica as having been found wild near Chilmarlc, in Wiltshire. — Mr. T. 
I.awson observed it in one of the little Islands called Small Holme, in the 
great Lake of Winander-mere, previous to 1724 : and it has been since found 
at Ripton, by Mr. J. Whitelocke, Nurseryman at Fulham. 
The natural order Compo'sit.® (see Prenanthes muralis, p. 27) 
is divided into three principal tribes, Corymbi'fera:, Cynaroce- 
phala:, and Cichora'cea:. Our present plant belongs to the 
first of these, namely, Corymbifera. This tribe comprehends all 
those Compdsita in which the florets of the disk are Jloscular ( tu- 
bular J, and which have the stigma not articulated with the style. 
It contains the following British Genera. 
1 . 
EUPATO'RIQM 
16. 
PETASPTES 
2. 
CHRYSO'COMA 
17. 
CINERA'RIA 
3. 
CONY'ZY 
18. 
BE'LLIS 
4. 
I'NULA 
19. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM 
5. 
LIMBA'RDA 
20. 
PY'RETHRUM, t. 20 
6. 
PULICA'RIA 
21. 
MATRICA'RIA 
7. 
A'STER 
22. 
ARTEMl'SIA 
8. 
ERI'GERON 
23. 
TANACE'TUM, t. 24 
9. 
SOLIDA'GO 
24. 
DIO'TIS 
10. 
ANTENNA'RIA 
25. 
MARUTA 
11. 
GNAPHA'LIUM 
26. 
A'NTHEMIS 
12. 
FILA'GO 
27. 
ACHILLE'A, t. 36 
13. 
SENE'CIO 
28. 
X 'JNTHIUM 
14. 
DOR3'NlCUM 
29. 
BI'DENS. 
15. 
TUSSILA'GO 
