The American Botanist 



VOL. XIII. 



JOLIET, ILL., SEPTEMBER, 1907. 



No, 1 



THE BLAZING STAR. 



BY WILLARD N. CLUTE. 



THE flora of the prairies has long been reputed to be one of 

 the most beautiful in existence. Throughout the spring 

 and summer months there is a succession of handsome flowers 

 that submerge the grasses beneath waves of color and rival 

 the best of other regions, but it is not until autumn draws 

 near and one after another of these blossoms give way before 

 the advancing army of composites, that the prairies really 

 prove their claim to the possession of the finest flora in the 

 land. The golden-rods and asters of other regions are here, 

 the bonesets, the rudbeckias, the iron-weeds, and others com- 

 mon to the low grounds farther East flourish, but to their 

 numbers are added in this region many that are frequently 

 known only by name to the inhabitants of New England and 

 the Middle States such as Lepachys, Echinacea, Coreopsis, 

 Actinonieris, numerous species of H elianthus and last, but by 

 no means least, the blazing stars. 



The pioneers who called these plants blazing stars were 

 extremely felicitous in their choice of terms. When one comes 

 unexpectedly upon a clump of these plants with their purple 

 blooms borne high on slender stems above the grass-like leaves 

 they seem a very constellation, indeed. Quite in keeping, too, 

 with tliis picturescjue appellation is the name of gay feather 

 by which other species are known. Alan, however, is too 

 utilitarian to simply admire; he must endeavor to find uses 

 for even beauty itself, and so we have certain species called 

 button snake-root and rattlesnake-master from their reputed 



