J [ 434 1
T R A G O P O G O N pratenfis.
Yellow Goat's-beard.
S Y N G E N E S I S Potygamia-aqualis.
G en. C har. Recent, naked. Cal. limple, of many
leaves. Down feathered.
S pec. C har. Calyx about equal to the corolla.
Leaves undivided, carinated, long-pointed ; broad
and a little undulated at the bafe. Flower-ftalk
cylindrical.
Syn. Tragopogon pratenfe. Linn. Sp. PL 1109.
Hudf. 335. With. 672,. Relh. 290. S ik h 236.
T . luteum. Ran Syn. 171.
O T unfrequent in grafly paftures and meadows, flowering
in June.
Root biennial, tapering, abounding with milk but not acrid.
Whole herb fmooth. Stems feveral, branched, 18 inches or 2
feet high, leafy, round, often purplilh ; the branches being
elongated into a Ample naked flower-ftalk, which is of an
equal thicknefs throughout. Leaves alternate, feffile, fome of
them radical, others embracing the Item and branches, cari-
jiated, all broad and fomewhat inflated at the bafe, but terminating
in a long narrow point •, very generally the margin towards
the bottom is more or lefs waved or crifped. Flowers
folitary, terminal, large and hand fome, opening at day-break,
and doling before noon, unlefs (as Mr. Relhan obferves) the
weather be cloudy. Calyx-leaves equal, though ranged alternately,
or in two rows. Florets generally as long or longer
than the calyx, yellow, with brownifh nerves, efpecially on
the upper fide, the outermoft row much longer than the_ reft.
Anther® brown or purplilh. Germen with a tuft of hairs at
jFe fummit. Seed-down radiated and feathered, ftandmg on
a footftalk. Seed crooked, furrowed and roughilh.
Such is our plant, which in fo many refpeds agrees with
the charader, and even with die fpecimen, of Linnseus’s T . orientate,
that we are not fure of their being diftind ; yet there
can be ftill lefs doubt of ours being his T. pratenfe. In fad,
the length of the outer florets is very variable.
All botanical writers, except Profeflor Jacquin, make Tragopogon
of the neuter gender ; but we fee no reafon why long
ufe Humid perpetuate fo manifeft an error, as its derivation,
as well as the belt authorities, juftifies its restoration to the maf-
culine.