Page:Wayside and Woodland Blossoms.djvu/116

53 roundish smooth and veined pod with its solitary seed is hidden within. In some of the coast localities for this plant it will be found with flowers white, cream-coloured, crimson, and purple; this has been especially noted at the Lizard in Cornwall. It is ordinarily in flower from June to August. This is the only British species.

The name is the one in use among the ancient Greeks, and signifies bearded flower, which is obviously a reference to the woolly calyces.

We have already given several examples of Composite flowers, and an examination of the Ox-eye Daisy would quickly convince the reader that he has another Composite under consideration. The popular eye noted long ago its similarity to a big daisy, and named it accordingly. In Scotland, too, where the daisy is known as a "gowan," the resemblance has been recorded by calling the Ox-eye a "horse gowan." If reference be made back to the Daisy (page ), it will be seen that the involucre consists of a single series of green scales, whilst in the Ox-eye this part of the flower consists of three or four series of scales with thin brown or purple edges, overlapping each other after the manner of the tiles on a roof. The white ray-florets are notched at the ends, unlike those of the Daisy. The Ox-eye, too, it will be noted, has a distinct stem, the leaves of which differ from those produced directly from the rootstock, being narrower, deeply toothed and stalkless. It is but too abundant in pastures and hay fields, which are effectively whitened by its flowers from May to August. The name is from two Greek words, Chrysos, golden, and anthemon, flowers, from the golden discs of the flower-heads.

There are two other British species:—

I. Corn Marigold (C. segetum), A troublesome annual weed in cornfields, but}}}}