THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 71 



tinning its blooming- after the others have faded, the lowliest 

 keeping their beauty longest. 



The tall S. jiincea is the most graceful and grows in small 

 clumps. The rather pale yellow flowers are in small heads 

 which are arranged in loose, spreading clusters. It blooms 

 early and we are tempted to carry it home though it is most 

 beautiful where it waves above the wild grass in the field. 



Our most common goldenrod, 6^. rugosa, is tall, sturdy and 

 forms compact hedges in fence rows and great colonies in 

 swampy fields. The flower cluster is broad and spreading. 

 Only a few of the green-yellow florets are open at one time, 

 making it a dingy goldenrod. When the sunny days of the 

 rank rugosa are past, it often cleverly hides the stately bloom- 

 ing ladies tresses. One wonders at the congeniality of such 

 plants ! 



The flowers of vS. graminifolia resemble those of rugosa 

 in color, being green-yellow, dull for a goldenrod. The flat 

 topped flower cluster is a striking feature of this sturdy, com- 

 mon plant. 



Our Vvhite goldenrod, S. bicolor, is more appropriately 

 called silver-rod. It grows in small, scattered clumps and is 

 sometimes tall — though it always has an unassuming appear- 

 ance. The white florets are small and the heads are crowded in 

 short recemes in the axils of the upper leaves. 



A clump of the handsome, tall goldenrod, vS. altissima at- 

 tracts attention when one is across the field from it. The 

 prominent, pyramidal cluster of yellow heads is fluffy, feathery 

 and a bright yellow. Nearly all the florets are open at one 

 time. Why is it fluffy? Because the pistil and stamens extend 

 beyond the corolla and the strap-like corollas are long, narrow 

 and numerous. 



S. canadensis, somewhat resembling altissima, grows in 

 a large mass in an old field. It is short in stature, has smaller 

 flower clusters and the corolla is a paler yellow than 5. altis- 

 sima. 



