CAKDUACEAE 1229 



various, those of the lower leaves 2-7 cm. long, 2-3-pinnatifid, those of the upper leaves 

 smaller, and 1-pinnatifid or merely toothed : heads showy: involucre hemispheric, 8-12 

 mm. high ; bracts mainly linear, glandular, with spreading green tips : ray-flowers 15-25, 

 with ligules 10-16 mm. long. 



In dry soil, Nebraska to California, Texas and Mexico. Summer. 



53. ERIGERON L. 



Annual, biennial or perennial caulescent or almost scapose herbs. Leaves alternate : 

 blades flat, entire or toothed. Heads conspicuously radiate, often showy, solitary or vari- 

 ously disposed. Involucres broad : bracts narrow, in 1-2 series, nearly equal, reflexed at 

 maturity. Keceptacle nearly flat, naked. Kay-flowers pistillate, with narrow white pink violet 

 or purple ligules. Disk-flowers perfect, with yellow corollas. Anthers entire and obtuse 

 at the base. Stigmas flattened, with obtuse appendages. Achenes flattened, usually 2- 

 nerved. Pappus a single series of hair-like, or scabrous bristles, or sometimes with a series 

 of shorter bristles without. Fleabane. 



Plants perennial by offsets, stolons or creeping stems. 

 Rav-flowers much fewer than 100. 



Leaves glabrous : bracts of the involucre 3-4 mm. long : ligules of the ray-flowers 4-6 mm. long. 



1. E. vernus. 

 Leaves pubescent : bracts of the involucre 5-7 mm. long : ligules of the ray- 

 flowers 10-15 mm. long. 

 Ray-flowers 100 or more. 



Stems decumbent or creeping. 



Longer involucral bracts over 6 mm. long : leaf-blades coarsely crenate. 

 Longer involucral bracts less than 6 mm. long : leaf-blades coarsely ser- 

 rate. 



Longer involucral bracts less than 4 mm. long : ligules of the ray-flow- 

 ers less than 5 mm. long. 

 Longer involucral bracts over 4 mm. long : ligules of the ray-flowers 

 over 5 mm. long. 

 Plants annual or biennial. 



Leaf-blades entire, toothed or lobed. 

 Lower leaves with entire blades. 

 Lower leaves with toothed or lobed blades. 

 Heads solitary, terminating long peduncles. 

 Pleads in terminal corymbs. 



Pappus of the ray- and disk-flowers alike. 

 Pappus of the raV- and disk-fiowers unlike. 



Upper stem-leaves with entire blades : ray-flowers with white lig- 

 ules. 

 Upper stem-leaves with sharply-toothed blades : ray-flowers with 

 pink ligules. 

 Leaf-blades pinnately parted. 



1. Erigeron vernus (L. ) T. & G. Perennial, by stolons or offsets, glabrous or 

 slightly pubescent above. Stems scape-like, solitary or tufted, 1-6 dm. tall, corymbosely 

 branched above, 1-6 dm. tall : leaves mainly basal ; blades somewhat fleshy, glabrous, 

 spatulate, elliptic-oblong, or oval, entire or repand, petioled, or those of the stem reduced 

 to linear or subulate scales : heads not showy : involucres about 3 mm. high ; bracts linear 

 or nearly so, acute, usually pubescent : ray-flowers 20-30, with white or pink ligules 4-6 

 mm. long. [E. nudieaulis Michx. ] 



In sand near the coast, Virginia to Florida and Louisiana. Spring and summer. 



2. Erigeron pulch611us Michx. Perennial, by stolons and offsets, villous or hirsute- 

 villous. Stems usually solitary, 1-5 dm. tall, simple or sparingly branched : leaves mainly 

 basal ; blades spatulate, obovate or elliptic, 3-12 cm. long, entire or toothed, pubescent, or 

 those of the stem-leaves oblanceolate, oblong or lanceolate : heads solitary or few, showy : 

 involucres 6-8 mm. high ; bracts linear or nearly so, acute or acuminate : ray-flowers nu- 

 merous, with violet or bluish purple ligules 1-1.5 cm. long. \_E. belUdifolius Muhl.] 



In open woods and on hillsides. Nova Scotia to Minnesota, Florida and Louisiana. Spring. 



3. Erigeron myriondctis Small. Perennial, strigose with white or whitish hairs, 

 sometimes almost acaulescent. Stems short, creeping : leaves clustered or approximate ; 

 blades oval, 1-3 cm. long, crenate or serrate-crenate with few teeth, rather cuneately nar- 

 rowed into broad petioles : peduncles 6-10 cm. long, simple : heads few, rather showy : 

 involucres hispid, 3-4 mm. high ; bracts narrowly linear, attenuate : ray-flowers exceed- 

 ingly numerous, with white or pink ligules 6-7 mm. long. 



In sandy soil, about Corpus Christ! Bay, Texas. Spring. 



4. Erigeron ripens A. Gray. Perennial, gray-pubescent. Stems at first very short, 

 becoming several cm. long and decumbent : leaves not approximate ; blades narrowly or 



