COMPOSITE. 139 



H. decapetalus. L. Closely related to the preceding, and 

 united to it by some botanists, but its characters seem to make it 

 distinct. 



//. altissimus. L. Tall Sunflower. This is a lofty plant of 

 the hills, with a smooth purple stem ; leaves petiolate and broad- 

 lanceolate, tapering upwards ; chaff of the seed greenish ; woods ; 

 July to September. 



H. divaricatus. L. Spreading Sunflower. Stem 3-5 feet 

 high, 2 or 3-dichotomously divided, with leaves on long petioles, 

 rounded at the base ; rather showy, with a spicy odor ; woods ; 

 in August and September ; vicinity of Boston. 



H. tuberosus. L. Jerusalem Artichoke. The tuberous root 

 resembles the real artichoke, and the plant, by a corruption of its 

 Italian name, girasole^ was called Jerusalem Artichoke. The 

 plant was introduced into Europe from Brazil, and cultivated for 

 its roots before the potato was known ; hence the value attached 

 to this artichoke, forty years and more ago, by many who had 

 emigrated to this country. At the present time, the roots are 

 little used. The plant has become partially naturalized. 



H. annuus. L. The Sunflower of the gardens. A coarse 

 plant, large and tall, and bearing a huge disk of flowers from an 

 inch to a foot in diameter. Within a kw years the tubular florets 

 of the disk have become ligulate, or strap-shaped, like those of 

 the ray, and the whole flower is far more splendid and sun-like, 

 and more of the flowers are turned towards the sun than away from 

 it. The disk of the flowers, and the leaves also, contain an odo- 

 rous substance, adhesive to the touch, like a resin. The seed is 

 large and abundant, and sometimes raised for the feeding of poul- 

 try. It also contains a valuable oil, easily expressed from it, 

 and a good substitute for sweet oil. The plant is a native of 

 South America, whence it was introduced into England, and 

 thence into the United States. 



