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Hieracium (Greek name used by Dioscorides)

(the Greek name used by Dioscorides for another plant, from hierax, a hawk; application doubtful). Hawkweed. ORD. Compositae. A genus, comprising about 150 species of hardy perennial herbs, from Europe, North Asia, and a few from America, very nearly allied to Crepis. Flower-heads yellow, or rarely orange-red; involucre more or less imbricated. Leaves entire or toothed. Comparatively few of the species of this extensive genus are worth growing. These are of very easy culture in any ordinary garden soil. Some of the British ones do well on old walls, and in such positions are very ornamental. Propagated by divisions, in spring; or by seeds.

H. aurantiacum (orange).* fl.-heads orange-red; corymb eight to ten-flowered; involucre covered with long hairs. June and July. l. elliptical, acute, entire. Stem often bearing one or two leaves at the bottom, hairy. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Scandinavia to the Pyrenees (naturalised in North of England and Scotland). (Sy. En. B. 823.) H. Pilosella (mouse-ear). fl.-heads lemon-coloured, often tinged with red on the outside; involucres and upper part of peduncle more or less clothed with minute and close whitish down, mixed with short, stiff, spreading black hairs. l. oblong or lanceolate, entire, tapering at the base, and often stalked. Europe (Britain), North and West Asia, North Africa. (Sy. En. B. 822.)