COMPOSIT52. 223 



G3. TARA'XACUM. 



Involucre double, the outer of small scales much shorter 

 than the inner, apprcssed row; receptacle naked; achenia 

 produced into a long beak crowned with the copious, white, 

 capillary pappus. 



Gr. ra.Qay.nx.oi, cathartic ; on account of its once celebrated medicinal 

 properties. Acaulescent herbs, with runcinate leaves. 



T. DeNS-LEONIS. Desf. Leontodon Taraxacum. L. 



Outer scales of the involucre reflexed ; leaves runcinate, smooth, dentate. 

 Every one is acquainted with the dandelion, wliicli is found growing in all 

 open situations, and blossoming at all seasons except winter. The leaves are 

 all radical, and examples of that peculiar form termed runcinate, that is, 

 re-uncinale, the teetli or claws inclining backwards towards the base of the 

 leaf ratlier than the summit. Scape hollow, round, bearing a single yellow 

 flower. After the flower is closed and decayed, the scape rises higher and 

 bears a head of perfected seeds and seed-down, the airy, globular form of 

 which is very conspicuous among the tall grass. The leaves in spring 

 furnish an excellent pot-herb. April — Nov. Ter. Dandelion. 



G4. NA'BALUS. 



Involucre cylindric, of man}' linear scales in one row, 

 calyculate with a few short, appressed scales at base; recep- 

 tacle naked; pappus copious, capillary, brownish, 2-rowed, 

 persistent; achenia not beaked, smooth, striate. 



Erect herbs with a thick, tuberous and bitter root. Heads 5— 15.flowered, 

 not yellow, though often straw-colored or cream-colored. 



* Heads pendulous. Leaves very variable in the same species. 



1. N. ALBUS. Hook. Harpalyce. Do7i. Prenanlhes. L. 

 Stem smooth and somewhat glaucous, corymbose-paniculate above ; radical 



leaves angular-hastate, oi'ten more or less deeply lobed ; stem leaves roundish- 

 ovate, dentate, petioled, the lobes or leaves obtuse ; heads pendulous ; inrolv- 

 cre of 8 scales, 9 — 13-flowered. A conspicuous and not inelegant plant, in 

 moist woods and shades. Stem stout, 2 — 4 feet high, purplish, often deeply 

 80 in spots. The leaves are very variable, the lowest 3 — 5-lobed or only 

 hastate, the uppermost lanceolate, and between these the intermediate forms, 

 hastate and ovate, all irregularly toothed. Scales purplish. Corollas whitish. 

 Pappus brown. Some of the varieties have the reputation of curing the 

 rattle-snakes' bite. Aug. Per. Lion's foot. White Lettuce. 



/3 scrpentaria (Prenanthes serpentaria. P ) ; radical /ea?;cs palmate-sinnate, 

 those of the stem on long petioles, with the middle segment 3-parted ; upper 

 leaves lanceolate. 



2. N. ALTI'SSIMUS. Hook. Harpalyce. Don. Prenanthes. L. 

 Stem smooth, slender, straight, paniculate above ; leaves more or less deeply 



3 — .5 cleft, all petiolate, angular, denticulate and rough-edged, the lobes 

 ;.cuminate; /tead^ pendulous ; involucre of ?> scales and about 5-flowered. A 

 tail species with cylindric, yellowish, nodding flowers, found in woods. Stem 

 li — 5 feet high, bearing a narrow and elongated panicle. Heads in short, 

 tiiUary and terminal racemes. Aug. Per. Tall JYabalus. 



