188 SOLIDAGO ODORA. 
The genus Solidago is characterized by a na- 
ked receptacle, the down simple, rays of the corolla 
about five, scales of the calyx imbricated and close. 
It is a very natural genus, easily distinguished at 
sight by its crowded tufts of compound flowers, 
which are almost always of a deep golden yellow.* 
The species odora has its stem nearly smooth, 
leaves linear-lanceolate, entire, smooth, with a- 
rough margin, and covered with pellucid dots. 
Racemes panicled, one sided, 
Class Syngenesiq.—Order Superflua,—Natural 
orders Composite, Lin. | Corymbiferw, Juss. 
The sweet scented Golden rod grows in woods 
wilh fields throughout the United States, and flow- 
ers in September. It has a smooth appearance, 
and is among the smaller species of its family. 
The root is woody, much branched and creeping. 
Stem slender, from two to three feet high, smooth 
or slightly pubescent below, pubescent at top. 
The leaves are linear-lanceolate, closely sessile, 
broad at base, entire, acute, with only the midrib 
distinct, rough at the margin but otherwise 
smooth, and coyered with pellucid dots, like Hy- 
pericum perforatum. The flowers grow in a com- 
pound, panicled raceme, with each of its branches 
”* The only exception which I now recollect is Solidago bicolor, 
_ whose ray is white. 
