RuDBECKiA aristata of the above synonymy was pro- 

 posed as a species many years ago by Dr. Solander, from 

 samples still in the Banksian Herbarium; but proving the 

 same with the Linnean B. triloba, of which a prototype 

 sample is also found in that Herbarium, it had remained 

 dormant in manuscript until carelessly revived in Mr. 

 Pursh's Flora of North America. 



Neither does R. subtomentosa of Pursh appear to rest 

 upon solid foundation, being derived from one of the two 

 varieties of Michaux's triloba, to which Mr. Pursh has at- 

 tributed the additional difference of a calyx of the full 

 length of the ray, to distinguish it from the other which 

 constitutes his subtomentosa, where the calyx is in the pro- 

 portion of only half the length of the ray. But a reference 

 to the sample of Mr. Pursh's triloba in the Lambertian 

 Herbarium, convinces us that this plant has not a calyx the 

 full length of the ray, but only half the length, as in subto- 

 mentosa, and that Mr. Pursh has confounded the nearest 

 floral leaflets with those of the true calyx. 



Triloba is native of Carolina and the Illinois countiy, 

 and is said to have been cultivated by Mr. Jacob Bobart 

 before 1699; but is still far from common in our collections. 

 The drawing was made from a plant that came out of Mr. 

 Lambert's garden at Boy ton ; where it had been raised from 

 imported seed and cultivated in the common ground. 



The three-lobed leaves are all situated at the lower part 

 of the stem, and, in the garden plant at least, are very few 

 comparatively with the undivided ones. The leaflets of the 

 calyx were 8, in all the flowers we saw, and the florets of 

 the ray likewise 8. The palece or bractes that separate the 

 florets in the receptacle are smooth, crimson at the top, and 

 awn-pointed, with two black-red linear slightly elevated 

 vertical calli on each side a little within the margin. 



It is marked in Hortus Kewensis for a biennial plant. 



