145 
Beauv.,) is notorious for its roots so-called, which are, strictly 
speaking, a mass of tough underground stems from the joints of 
which small fibrous roots proceed; taken as a whole, however, 
the root system is large and merits the place assigned. : 
Of the biennials there are only two in this group of the second 
class, namely, Me/ilotus alba, L. (white melilot) and Zrigeron 
strigosus, Muhl. (fleabane), both of which are abundantly pro- 
vided with a mass of small roots. 
Passing now to the mixed system it is found that there are 
seven distributed among the perennials and annuals ; of the former 
there are Leonurus Cardiaca, L. (motherwort), the two plantains, 
namely, Plantago lanceolata, 1.., and Plantago Rugelii, DC. 
and the Rumex Acetosella, L.. or sorrel. While the first three have 
‘roots quite alike, that is with a more or less strong, downward, 
central root and several others springing directly from it near the 
crown, the sorrel develops its roots horizontally and near the sur- 
face of the ground. The three annuals in group two with mixed 
roots are— Solanum rostratum, Dun. (Texas horse nettle), Ama- 
ranius blitoides, Wats. (spreading figweed)—both low prostrate 
plants—and Chenopodium ambrosioides, L. (goosefoot). 
Of the weeds with medium sized tap-roots there are three 
species, namely: Heleninm tenuifolium, Nutt., Nepeta Glechoma, 
Benth. and Acalypha Virginica, L. The first is one of the worst 
weeds in the Southern States according to Prof. Tracy, who con- 
tributes the specimens to the century. In the second or ground 
ivy, we have a plant that forms dense masses of low growth in 
neglected places; while the third, the three-seeded mercury, 
is a widespread and common weed in moist land, particularly 
meadows. In the biennials of this group there is but a single 
Species, namely : the Echinospermum Lappula, Lehm. (stickseed), 
which, while a medium sized weed, is exceedingly annoying to 
live stock, particularly sheep, on account of its bur-like seeds. 
The annuals with average sized roots are more numerous than 
inthe other two groups and include the following: Brassica 
Sinapistrum, Boiss. (charlock), Raphanus Raphanistrum, L. (wild 
radish), Hibiscus T; rionum, 1. (bladder ketmia), Mollugo verticil- 
fata, L, (carpet weed), Diodia teres, Walt. (button weed), Sonchus 
oleraceus, L, (sow thistle), Polygonum aviculare, L. (knotgrass), 
