The vegetable SYSTEM, 
97 
GENUS 11. 
DAISY. 
B E L L I S. 
Chara£ler of the Genus. 
The Cup rifes, and is formed of equal Scales of a lanced 
fhape, and not very numerous. 
Plate 25. ouu, 
I. N A K E D DAISY. 
Plate 25. Fig. r. Common little Daisv. 
Character of the Species. Beilis perennis. 
The Flower-flalk is naked or deiditute of Leaves. 
Fig. i.s. 
T his is a Perennial, native of our paftures, and univerfal 
almoft as the grafs which covers them j the common little 
Daily. The Leaves are glolTy and of a deep green ; the Flowerlfalk 
is uilially reddilh ; and the Flower is white, more or lefs pyed and 
dappled with a light crimfon ; and has a yellow Dilk. 
As humble and fimple as this Plant is in our fields, it rifes to a 
great deal, not only of fingularity, but beauty, under the garden 
culture. From the pyed red and white, its colour grows more glow- 
ing, the crimfon ftronger, and diffufed more generally j and with this 
encreafe of tindt, there grows alfo doublenefs in various forms; and 
a new offspring. The Florets of the dillc, which are tubular and 
cut into five Segments, extend themfelves on one fide in length ; two 
of the Segments grow into one at their edges- and Stretching forward, 
form, inllead of the original tubular Floret, a perfeil Ray, like one 
of thofe at the verge. Thus is the dilk obliterated, and the Flower 
is full, or double, and compofed only of Rays : in the next ftage, 
thefe Rays filled v/ith abundant nourilhment, inllead of being plain and 
flat, rife into bubbles on the furface, cr round themfelves into quills : 
and finally, from the bafe of the Cup there wdll rife new Stalks, each 
fupporting a fmall Flower j miniatures of the original from which 
they rife. 
VoL. 11 . C c 
2. LEAFY 
