Groundsel**, in botany: A genus belonging to the class of syngenesia, and to the order of polygamy superflua; and in the natural classification ranked under the fourth order, Compositae. The receptacle is naked; the pappus simple; the calyx cylindrical and calyculate. The scales are equal and contiguous, so as to seem entire; those at the base are few, and have their apices or points decayed. There are 57 species. Of these, seven are British, the vulgaris, viscosus, sylvaticus, crucifolius, jacobaea, paludofus, and saracenicus.

1. The vulgaris, or common groundsel, has its corolla naked, its leaves leathery, smooth, and finuated, their segments short, broad, and minutely serrated; the flowers are yellow, and without radii. This weed grows in cultivated ground everywhere, and flowers in May. Its leaves have been used in medicine externally as a vulnerary and refrigerant, and internally as a mild emetic; but they have little or no efficacy. 2. The viscosus, or cotton groundsel, has its corolla revolute, its leaves pinnatifid, viscid, and downy. The scales of the calyx are lax and hairy, and are of the same length with the perianthium. 3. The sylvaticus, or mountain groundsel, has its corolla revolute, its leaves pinnatifid and dentated, the stem comosely and erect. It flowers in July, and is frequent in woods and heaths. 4. The crucifolius, hoary perennial ragwort; the corolla are radiant; the leaves are pinnatifid, dentated, and downy beneath; the stem is erect, and two feet high; the flowers are yellow, and grow in clusters. This plant is frequent in woods and hedges. 5. The jacobaea, common ragwort; the corolla are radiant; the leaves pinnated and lyre-shaped, and of a dark-green colour; the stalk is erect, round, and generally purplish; the flowers grow in clusters on the tops of the stalks. The leaves have a bitterish subacid taste, and extremely nauseous. Senegal.

Mon Pauli says, that a decoction of them cured many soldiers of an epidemic dysentery. 6. The paludofus, marsh ragwort; the corolla are radiant; the leaves lword-shaped, acutely serrated, and somewhat downy underneath; the stem is erect, branched towards the top, and four or five feet high; the flowers are large and yellow. This plant is frequent in fens and ditches in England. 7. The saracenicus, broad-leaved ragwort; the corolla are radiant; the leaves are lanceolate, serrated, and somewhat smooth; the stem is erect, simple, and four or five feet high; there are several flowers on each footstalk, which are yellow, and grow in clumps on the top. The plant grows in moist pastures in England; and flowers in July or August.