350 MR. G. BENTHAM ON COMPOSITE. 
Vernoniaces, is not only constant in the tribe of 33 genera 
and above 700 species (although slightly modified in Mikania, 
where it is less obtuse and more slender), but is also, I believe, 
exclusive, or there is only a slight approach to it in a few Inuloideæ 
or Mutisiacex. The Asteroid style (fig. 4), with flattened branches, 
the marginal stigmatic series very prominent but not reaching the 
extremity, which consists of a so-called appendage, long or short, 
broad or narrow, acute or obtuse, and papillose or shortly hirsute 
all over, is very prevalent in the tribe as now limited; but occa- 
sionally the appendage is so short as to bring the style nearly to 
that of the Senecionidez or of the Inuloides, and sometimes a truly 
Asteroid style, as well as numerous approaches to it, may be ob- 
served in various genera of Helianthoidew, Helenioides, and 
Senecionidem. The Jnula style (fig. 7), with the stigmatic series 
reaching to the end of the branches, or nearly so, without append- 
ages as in Senecio, but the branches rounded, not truncate, at the 
end, prevails in several subtribes of Inuloidee, but in others passes 
into the true Senecio style. It is also to be occasionally met with 
in Arctotidee and Mutisiacez, as well as in genera closely allied 
to Senecio. The Senecio style (fig. 6) has flattened branches like 
that of Aster, but narrower and usually recurved; and the stigmatic 
series reach the extremity, which is truncate and fringed with 
hairs. This style is uniform in nearly the whole of the 900 species 
of Senecio and in several allied genera; but even in Senecio itself 
the extremities of the branches are occasionally rounded, or form 
an exceedingly short appendage (in this tribe called cone), which, 
in other genera very closely allied to Senecio, lengthens out (as in 
fig. 5) even into the Vernonia form (fig. 2), the stigmatic series also 
gradually becoming less conspicuous; and the true Senecio style is 
observable in numerous genera which on other accounts must be 
placed in Inuloidee, Helianthoidex, Helenioidew, Anthemide:e, or 
Mutisiaceew (Nassaviee). The Carduus style (fig. 8), with a so- 
called articulation or change of texture, and abrupt thickening or 
ring of hairs, above the middle, at or usually much below the 
branching, the branches, if long, erect, but usually very short and 
erect or spreading, is general, but not universal, in Cynaroidee, 
and is also observable in some genera of Mutisiaceee and Arctotidee. 
In all tribes which admit of central sterile hermaphrodite florets 
(Asteroidee, Inuloidez, Helianthoideze, Helenioidez, Anthemidese, 
Senecionidez, Calendulacee, and Arctotidew) the styles of these 
sterile florets are for the most part filiform or slightly clavate, 
