62 
Dicotyledons with Gamopetalous Flowers . 
Natural Order 
COMPOSITE. Tab. 50, si, 52. 
Diagnosis.— Herbs or (in exotic genera) shrubs or trees. Flowers capi¬ 
tate. Corolla epigynous. Stamens 
Seed solitary, erect, exalbuminous. 
5 or 4, epipetalous; anthers syngenesious. 
Distribution.— The largest Natural Order of flowering plants, reckoned to form about one-tenth 
of the whole; represented everywhere to the limits of Phanerogamic vegetation both in latitude and 
altitude. Although the Family is thus widely dispersed many of the Tribes are local and restricted to 
continents or narrower areas. The genera may be grouped under three Sub-Orders, viz.:— 
I. TUBULIFLOR^E or CORYMBIFER^ (Tab. 50.)—Corolla of all the flowers (florets), or 
af the central flowers only of the flower-heads, regular and tubular. 
Number of British Genera, 27; Species, 73. 
II. LABIATIFLOR^E (Tab. 51).—Corolla of the central florets 2-lipped (chiefly South 
American). 
III. LIGULIFLOR^E or CICHORACE^E (Tab. 52).—Corolla of all the florets ligulate. 
(Juice milky.) 
Number of British Genera, 15; Species, 45. 
INFLORESCENCE a flower-head ( capitulum) bearing numerous small flowers (florets) closely crowded upon the 
receptacle; occasionally few-flowered (3-4) as in Garden Humea, rarely reduced to a single flower in exotic genera. 
