Common Daisy. 
Bellis perennis. 
BELLIS. Limuei Gen. PI. Syngenesia Polygamia Sgeehflua. 
Raii Synopfis Gen. 8. Herba: flore composito discoide, seminibus pappo destitutis, 
Corymbifera; dicta:. 
BELLIS perennis , fcapo nudo. Linnai Syjletn. Vegetab p. 640. FI. Suecic. p. 29 6. Haller hijl. p. 39. Scopoli. 
FI. Carniol. v. 2. 146. 
BELLIS fylveftris minor Bauhinpin. 261. Gerard emac. 635. Parkinfon 530. Raii Syn. p. 184. Hudfion FI. 
Angi. 320. OEder. FI. Dan. icon. 503. 
RADIX perennis, fibrofa. 
FOLIA ovata, dentata, hirfutula, in petiolos longos 
decurrentia ; difrupta fila trahentia. 
SCAPI teretes, hirfuti, triuncinles, uniflori, ad apicem 
fiflulofi. 
CALYX communis fimplex, foliolis aequalibus fg. i. 
apice membranaceis, hirfutis, obtufis jig. 2. lente 
auct. 
COROLLA compojita , radiata : Corolluhs hermaphro- 
ditae, tubulofie, numerofie in difco. Fee minina 
ligulata:, calycis foliis plures in radio. Flofculi 
Hermaphroditi infundibuliformes quinquefidi 
flavi, jig. 3, 4. lente audi : Fceminai ligulati, 
lanceolati, albi,^. 10. 
STAMINA Hermaphroditis-. Filamenta quinque 
breviflima, Jig. 5. Anthera cylindracea, tu- 
bulofa, Jig. 6. 
PISTILLUM Hermaphroditis : Germen ovatum, _/£>•. 9. 
Stylus filiformis, 8. Stigma craffiuf- 
culum, bifidum, jig. 7. Fceminea: Germen 
ovatum, jSg-. 13. Stylus filiformis. Stig- 
mata duo patula, linearia, jig-. 1 1. 
SEMINA ovata, comprefla, marginata, pappo defli- 
tuta,j%. 14. 
RECEPTACULUM nudum, conicum, jig. 15. 
• ROOT perennial, and fibrous. 
> LEAVES oval, indented, flightly hirfute, running 
down the footftalks, which are long and if broke 
; acrofs appear ftringy. 
: STALKS round, hirfute, about three inches high, fup- 
porting one flower, at top hollow. 
; CALYX the common calyx Ample, the leaves equal, jig. 1. 
at the top membranous, hairy and obtufe,^. 2. 
; one of the tips magnified. 
: COROLLA Compound and radiated : the Corollula or 
flofculi in the dilk or middle numerous, tubu- 
lar, and hermaphrodite , thofe in the radius or 
circumference flat, more numerous than the 
leaves of the calyx, and female, the Hermaphro- 
dite Flofculi funnel lhaped, divided into five 
fegments and yellow,^-. 3, 4. magnified. The 
Female flofculi tubular at bottom, flat towards 
the extremity, lanceolate, and white, jig. 13. 
STAMINA in the Hermaphrodite flower : five Fila- 
ments very fhort,y^-. 5. Anthera: united into 
a tube, jig. 6. 
PISTILLUM of the Hermaphrodite flower : Germen 
oval, fig. 9. Style thread-fhaped, fig. 8. 
Stigma thickilh and bifid, fig. 7. of the Fe- 
male flower: Germen oval, fig. 9. Style 
thread-lhaped, two Stigmata narrow and 
fpreading, _/?g\ 11. 
SEEDS oval, flat, margin’d without any pappus or 
down, jig. 14. 
RECEPTACLE naked and of a conical figure, 1 5: 
The Daify has been recommended by fome writers to be given in he£tic fevers, caufed by drinking cold water 
when the blood has been heated by exercife, either infufed in water or milk. 
In fome parts of Germany, it is faid to be boiled and eaten with meat as a pot-herb ; but it does not feem to promile 
much either asphyfic or food for man. Sheep and horfes refufe it, and it is very probable that none of our cattle eat 
it willingly ; if fo the owners of lands pay dear for their enamelled meads, and daified carpets, but this part of huf- 
bandry feems as yet little underftood or attended to. As rural oeconomifts we have ventured to fay thus much in 
dilpraife of this flower, notwithftanding the lavilh encomiums the father of our Englifh poets has bellowed on it : 
■ In Ipecial one called Se of the daie 
The Daifie, a floure white and rede, 
And in french called La bel Margarete 
O commendable • floure, &c. 
Above all flouris in the mede 
Than love I moll thofe flouris white and rede • 
Such that men call in Dailies in our Town. 
Chaucer is perhaps the firll that takes notice of the Horologium Florae or opening and Ihutting of flowers at a par- 
ticular time of the day. 
She that is of all flouris the floure, 
Fullfilled of all virtue and honoure ; 
And ever alike fair and frelh of hewe. 
As well in winter as in fummer newe. 
As foon as ever the Sunne ginneth Well 
To fene this floure, how it will go to reft. 
For fear of night fo hateth Ihe darknefle 
Her chere is plainly fpread in the brightnefle 
of the Sunne. — 
Well by reafon men it calle male 
The Daifie, or elfe the Eye of the Daie 
And at the laft there tho began anon 
A Lady for to ling right womanly 
A Bargonet in praifing the Daifie 
For as methought among her notis fwete 
She faid Si douce eji la Margarete 
Retuned by Dryden in his own numbers : 
And then the Band of Flutes began to play. 
To which a Lady fung a Virelay ; 
And Hill at every clofe Ihe would repeat 
The Burden of the -Song the Daify is fo fiweet 
‘The Daify is fo fweet when Ihe begun 
The troops of Knights and Dames continued on 
The Confort and the voice fo charm’d my Ear 
And footh’d my Soul that it was Heaven to hear. 
Etymologifts agree with the Old Bard in his derivation of the Daify, viz. Days Eye. Under the French name 
Margarette it is probable a compliment was intended to fome lady, but Critics are not agreed who this lady was 
Like many other flowers the Daify becomes double by culture, and frequently proliferous in this ftate it is 
called the Hen and Chicken Daily. 
