ASTERACEjE. 



Florets of the ray 1-200, pale purple, slightly bifid. Achasnia oblong 

 hispid. — Said to be a powerful emmenagogue. It is commonly used 

 in the United States as a diuretic. 



STENACTIS. 



Head many-flowered, heterogamous; florets of the ray in 1 row, 

 J , narrow, ligulate ; of the disk c/ 1 , 5-toothed. Receptacle 

 naked, dotted, flat, or convex. Involucral leaves in 2-3 rows, 

 imbricated, narrow. Achaenium oblong, compressed. Pappus 

 of the ray in 1 row, setaceous, deciduous ; of the disk in 2 rows, 

 the outer very short, the inner like that of the ray. DC. 



915. S. annua Nees ast. 273. DC.prodr. v. 298. — Erigeron 

 heterophyllum Willd. iii. 456. Aster annuus im«. sp.pl. 1229. 

 Fl. dan. t. 486. Erigeron annuum Pers. syn. ii. 431. Phalacro- 

 loma acutifolium Cass. diet, xxxix. 405. — Common in North 

 America whence it has migrated into Europe. 



Stem erect, corymbose, many-headed. Lower leaves ovate ; upper 

 lanceolate, dentate-serrate, rather hairy. Involucre hispid. Ligulas 

 white. — Employed in the United States as a diuretic. 



SOLIDAGO. 



Head several-flowered or many-flowered, radiant ; ligulae 

 5-15, oblong, $ , in 1 row, often wide apart; florets of the disk 

 c/, 5-toothed. Receptacle not paleaceous, either quite naked, or 

 honeycombed, or fringed. Involucre closely imbricated, many- 

 leaved, often oblong. Achaenium rather taper, many-ribbed. 

 Pappus in 1 row, hairy, roughish. DC. 



916. S. odora Ait. hort. Kew. iii. 214. Bigelow med. hot. i. 

 t. 20. DC. prodr. v. 334. — S. retrorsa Mich. fl. ii. 117. — 

 Woods and fields in North America. (Golden rod.) 



Root woody, much branched and creeping. Stem slender, from 

 2 to 3 feet high, smooth or slightly pubescent below, pubescent at top. 

 Leaves linear-lanceolate, closely sessile, broad at base, entire, acute, 

 with only the midrib distinct, rough at the margin but otherwise 

 smooth, and covered with pellucid dots like Hypericum perforatum. 

 Raceme compound, panicled, with each of its branches supported by a 

 small leaf. Branches very slender, rigid, ascending, very much spread- 

 ing, 1-sided. Scales of the involucre oblong, acute, smooth, or slightly 

 pubescent, the lower ones shorter and closely imbricating the rest. 

 Florets of the ray few, with oblong obtuse yellow ligules; those of the 

 disk funnel-shaped, with acute segments. — Leaves delightfully fragrant, 

 partaking of anise and sassafras, yielding a volatile oil which is aromatic, 

 gently stimulant, diaphoretic and carminative. Also employed as an 

 excellent substitute for tea. 



GRANGEA. 



Head many-flowered, homogamous ; florets all tubular ; those 

 of the ray in 2 or more rows, ? , very slender, 3-toothed ; of 



454 



