1. T. officinale, Wigg. Prim. Fl. Holsat. 56.—Root long, stout, black. Leaves very variable, 2-6 in. long, oblanceolate or linear-obovate or spathulate, sinuate-toothed or runcinate-pinnatifid, witb broad triangular lobes pointing downwards, terminal lobe larger, usually rounded. Scapes 2–8 in. high. Head ⅓–1½ in. diam. Involucre campanulate; inner bracts linear, often thickened towards the tip; outer shorter and broader, erect or reflexed. Achenes narrow-obovoid, ribbed, the ribs muricate above the middle, beak long, equalling or exceeding the achene itself.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 152; Kirk, Students Fl. 361. T. dens leonis, Desf. Fl. Atlant. ii. 228; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 165.
North and South Islands: Not uncommon throughout, ascending to 4000 ft. Dandelion. November–February.
A very variable plant. The large lowland forms, common in pastures or in rich cultivated soils, are probably introduced; but the small mountain state, with small leaves, slender scapes sometimes barely 2 in. high, and heads ⅓–¾ in. diam., is certainly indigenous, as it was collected by Banks and Solander.
26. SONCHUS, Tourn.
Erect leafy annual or perennial succulent herbs, juice milky. Leaves alternate or radical, entire or toothed or pinnatifid; cauline often amplexicaul. Heads peduncled, in terminal irregularly branched corymbs or panicles, homogamous. Involucre ovoid, usually becoming conical after flowering; bracts imbricated in several series, the outer smaller. Receptacle flat, naked. Florets all ligulate. Anthers shortly tailed at the base. Achenes ovoid or ellipsoid, more or less compressed, ribbed and often transversely rugose, not beaked. Pappus-hairs copious, in many series, soft, white, simple.
Species from 24 to 28, mostly natives of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere; a few spread over the whole world, but probably naturalised in many districts. One of the New Zealand species is endemic, the two others are cosmopolitan.
| * Annual. | |
| Upper leaves amplexicaul, with rounded auricles. Achenes longitudinally ribbed, not transversely wrinkled | 1. S. asper. |
| Upper leaves amplexicaul, with acute auricles. Achenes longitudinally ribbed and transversely wrinkled | 2. S. oleraceus. |
| ** Perennial. | |
| Leaves large, 1–2½ ft. long. Heads 1–1½ in. diam., purplish; pedicels cottony | 3. S. grandifolius. |
1. S. asper, Hill, Herb. Brit. i. 47.—A tall succulent annual herb 2–3 ft. high, with a hollow grooved stem, glabrous or sparsely glandular above. Leaves lanceolate, entire or toothed or pinnatifid;
