72 COMPOSITE. LiATKis. 



here arranged (/3. y. & ^.) are undoubtedly different forms or states of one 

 and the same well-marked sf)ecies, difft'ring in no respect exce[)t the devel- 

 opement of the inflorescence, which affcirds most fallacious characters in this 

 genus. There is an obvious tendency to branch in the inflorescence of all 

 the racemose species, which is manifest, not only when the suminit of the 

 stem receives an injury, but in most very vigorous individuals; an almost 

 necessary result of the successive developement of the heads from the apex 

 of the stem or branch downwards, or outwards, (in whicli the plants with a 

 racemiform disposition of the heads do not ditTer from other Composite,) 

 ■which effectually preventing farther growth from the summit, the powers 

 of the ))lant are directed to the production of additional heads, either from the 

 axils of the upper cauline leaves, or of the bracts with which the pedicels 

 (peduncles), especially the lower ones, are usually furnished. This is particu- 

 larly exemplified in the present species ; which exhibits almost every grada- 

 tion between the simple racemiform inflorescence, and a kind of panicle 

 which results from the developement throughout of lateral heads on the 

 otherwise simple branches. — We regret that we have not been able to settle 

 the synonymy of several species in this difficult genus. Mr. Bennett, who 

 has most obligingly compared fragments from our specimens of this and 

 other allied species with those preserved in the Banksian herbarium, considers 

 our var. /3. as probably identical with the Liatris gracilis of Pursh ; the dif- 

 ferences consisting chiefly in the degree of pubescence, and the length of the 

 peduncles or branches of the inflorescence. As the (unexpanded) heads in 

 Pursh's specimen are globose-ovate and at least 6-flowered, we were strong- 

 ly inclined to consider that plant identical with a form of the following spe- 

 cies; but Mr. Bennett, on comparing the two, did not recognize the resem- 

 blance. If the species here described should prove distinct from L. gracilis, 

 it will retain the appropriate name of L. pauciflosculosa, Null. 



10. Tj. graminifulia ( Willd. ?) : glabrous or sparsely hairy ; stem slender ; 

 leaves linear, somewhat scattered, 1 -nerved, usually ciliate towards the base 

 with scattered hispid hairs ; tlie lowermost elongated ; heads 7-9- (rarely 

 10-14-) flowered, spicate or racemose, sometimes partly paniculate; involucre 

 obovoid-iurblnate or broadly obconical, acute at the base; the scales (12- 

 20) regularly imbricated in several series, appressed, spatulate or oblong, 

 very obtuse, sometimes slightly mucronulafe, mostly resinous-punctate and 

 with slight scarious margins ; the exterior verv short, roundish-oval or obo- 

 vate ; achenia villous-pubescent ; pappus densely barbellate. — Anonymos 

 graminifolius & ramosus, IValt. Car. p. 197? 



a. heads rather small, 7-9-flowered, mostly sessile and rather remote, 

 forming a slender spike ; lower bracts longer, the upperniost shorter than the 

 heads.— L. graminifolia, {Pursh, Jl. 2. p. 508 7) Null.! sen. 2. p. 131; 

 Ell..' sk. 2. ^p. 274 ; DC. ! prodr. 5. p. 130, (excl. pi. cult.", which belongs 

 to L. spicata .') 



/?. heads larger, 7-14-flowered. (Varies, 1. with the heads few or nume- 

 rous, somewhat scattered, sessile or nearly so : 2. heads few or numerous, in 

 a siinple raceme; the pedicels sonietimes shorter, sometimes much hmger 

 than the heads, erect-spreading or slightly recurved : 3. heads numerous, 

 approximate, sessile ; the inflorescence branched below, the heads on the 

 short simple branches also sessile.) — Serratula foliis linearibus, floribus soli- 

 tariis sessilibus, hronov. ! fl. Virg. cd. 1. p. 92. 



y. heads small, 6-12-flovvered, on spreading or often recurved pedicels, 

 forming a long virgate racciue, sometimes compound or paniculate at the 

 base. — L. gracilis. Ell. I. c, not of Pursh. ? L. pilosa j3. gracilis, Nuit. I. c. 

 L. virgata, Nutt. ! in jour. acad. Philad. 7. p. 72, 6^' in trans. Amer. Phil, 

 soc. {n. ser.) 7. p. 284 (inflorescence compound). 



6. 1 heads rather larger, 7-12-flowered, spicate, or racemose, with the 

 pedicels short and erect, or sometimes with the inflorescence compound 



