THE DAISY FAMILY 
[ORDER XLI. COMPOSITE] 
T HE Daisy Family is one which is very easily recognised, as the little flowers are always 
clustered together in heads and the anthers of the stamens are united round the style of the 
pistil. It is the largest of all the orders, and may be found all over the world. 
Many of our British species were largely used in medicine and are still in use by country folk 
who distil their own drugs. Extracts of Golden Rod (Solidago Virgaurea), Hemp Agrimony 
(Eupatorium cannabinum), Chamomile (Anthemis) and Feverfew (Chrysanthemum Parthenium), 
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Colt’s-foot (Tussilago Farfara), Chicory (Cichorium Intybus), Dandelion 
(Taraxacum officinale), and Lettuce (Lactuca) were formerly considered valuable medicinally. 
All, except the Dandelion and Chamomile, have now been superseded by other preparations. 
Lettuce (Lactuca) is invaluable among our salad vegetables: one of the Chicories — Endive 
(Cichorium Endivia) — is largely used, and its British ally, Chicory (Cichorium Intybus), is now and 
then employed in a like manner, and is cultivated as a fodder abroad. Salsafy (Tragopogon 
porrifolius) too is classed among our salads. The roots of Chicory (Cichorium Intybus) are better 
known as an objectionable adulteration with coffee. As a thing of beauty, perhaps, this family 
is of greater value than as a thing of use. Our gardens and fields, our roadsides and waste places, 
would be the poorer indeed without the daisy and dandelion, the corn marigold and cornflower, 
the ragworts, yarrow, thistles, colt’s-foot and cat’s-ear. The cultivated species of this order form the 
basis of most of our gardens, including the various forms of daisy (Beilis and Chrysanthemum), 
Aster, Sunflower, Pyrethrum, Gaillardia, Coreopsis, Knapweed and Cornflower (species of 
Centaurea), Hawk weed, Thistle, Dahlia, French and African Marigold, Zinnia, and many others. 
HEMP AGRIMONY. (EUPATORIUM, LINN.) Flower-heads small, few-flowered, collected 
together in dense terminal clusters (compound corymbs). Florets all tubular and perfect, white, 
or pink to blue. Flower-bracts few, oblong. Calyx-tube surmounted with minute hairs ; petals 5, 
united into a tube and separating into 5 short teeth ; stamens 5, with the anthers united; carpels 2, 
united, with the style deeply cleft into 2 long branches, much longer than the corolla. Fruit an 
achene tipped with the calyx-hairs (pappus). Perennial herbs with the leaves generally opposite, 
often sprinkled with resinous dots. 
Common Hemp Agrimony. (Eupatorium cannabinum, Linn.)— The only British 
species (as just described). Florets bright pink in bud, becoming paler and duller when open, 
anthers brown, styles white. Stem 3-6 feet high, reddish, downy. Leaves deeply lobed from the 
base (palmately lobed) into from 3-5 leaflets, which are broadly lance-shaped (lanceolate), 
toothed (serrate), and downy. Aromatic. [Plate 65. 
Common in moist places. July — September. Perennial. 
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