EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



403 



THE THISTLE FAMILY. THE ASTER FAMILY. COMPOSITE FAMILY. COMPOSITAE. 



Tliis includes the Cliicory Family and the Ragweed Family, sometimes considered as distinct from 

 the Compositae. Botanically this "family ranks highest of any. In the most comprehensive sense 

 this immense family of seed plants consists of 11,4.50 species — much the largest of all. The flowers 

 are produced in heads; the anthers are united into a tube which surrounds the style; there is only 

 one seed to a flower. 



Here are found large numbers of showy flowers in cultivation, such as asters, dahlias, chrysanthe- 

 mums and the largest contributions to the weeds of any family. To the vegetable garden the best 

 it can do is to furnish lettuce, endive, chickory, artichokes, sunflowers. It does not furnish a single 

 plant of importance for meadows or pastures possibly excepting yarrow, which takes a low rank for 

 meadow, pasture and lawn. 



Fig. 203 (178). 



Yarrow. Milfoil. Achillea Millefoiium L. 

 Stems simple, sliglitly woolly, perennial from 

 horizontal rootstocks, 30-60 cm. high; leaves 

 many times finely dissected into almost thread 

 hke pieces; heads numerous, small, in a flat- 

 topped cluster, ray flowers white or pink. It 

 seems to be native to this country as well as 

 native to Europe. 



Fig. 204. 



Biennial Wormwood. Artemisia biennis 

 Willd. An erect, smooth, biennial, 30-120 cm. 

 high; leaves divided; heads crowded in short 

 spikes, very numerous, about 3 mm. broad. 



Introduced into moist ground from the west. 



