burdock {Arctium minus ) (European) is a very 
common plant on waste ground, along roadsides and 
the edges of woods. The plant is often four feet or 
more high. The lower leaves are very large, often more 
than a foot in length, heart-shaped, deep green and 
finely veined above, grayish beneath because of the fine 
wool that covers the under surfaces. The upper leaves 
are smaller, more ovate in form and less densely woolly 
on the undersides. The flower heads grow in clusters 
at the ends of the branches. The involucre is almost 
spherical, composed of numerous bracts, each termi¬ 
nating in a sharp, hooked pomt. Tubular florets, only, 
are seated within this involucre; they are purple and 
white in color, and secrete an abundance of nectar, on 
which account they are frequented by honey bees. 
The present species adopts the policy of the Beggar- 
ticks, but instead of single seeds, it attaches the whole 
bur-like head by means of its numerous little hooks. 
They cling tenaciously to everything they touch; doubt¬ 
less most of my readers recall massing these burs to 
gether to make castles, funny men. animals, etc. 
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