522 



This species is naturally a plant of low damp grounds and in 

 such situations reaches its fullest development, commonly growing 

 in scattered communities about the borders of weedy thickets. Oc- 

 casionally it establishes itself in dry soil and becomes much re- 

 duced and quite distinct in appearance from the normal plant, 

 though clearly nothing more than a dry ground state of the spe- 

 cies. Extreme examples of this form are only 1 1/<" tall and sim- 

 ple, terminating in a raceme 6-8' long; the leaves are much 

 crowded, often reflexed and not larger than 3^-5' long by 2'-2>^' 

 wide ; the small leaflets number only 3-5 pairs and are mostly el- 

 liptic and finely and sharply serrate, the subleaflets reduced in 

 size and number and obovate, the stipules very small ; on small 

 sterile plants, the small leaflets may be oval and rather bluntly 

 serrate and sometimes number only 2-3 pairs. (Plate 283, fig. 7.) 



7. Agrimonia incisa T. & G. 



From i°-3><° tall, either simple, terminating in an elongated 

 strict raceme, or bearing also ascending racemes from bracts or 

 reduced leaves on the upper part of the stem. Stem clothed with 

 a close soft-pubescence and villous with loosely spreading hairs 

 which become subappressed and more pilose above and disappear 

 in the pubescent and glandulose racemes. Leaves numerous, 

 rather close and ascending, becoming gradually smaller and ap- 

 pressed above, narrowly-oblong or oblanceolate in general outline, 

 3'-6' long, I ^'-2' wide, the leafstalks tomentose-pubescent and 

 villose. Leafl"ets thickish, prominently veiny, commonly 4-5 

 pairs, short, mostly oblong and 34' in length, a!'-1" wide, sessile, 

 or subpetiolulate, abruptly acute at base, rounded or acute at apex 

 the odd one rather longer and with more narrowed base, acutely 

 incised-serrate with few (3-6 on each side) salient, often slightly 

 recurved teeth penicillate-haired from the apex, upper surface vel- 

 vety, lower surface soft-pubescent and pilose-hairy, thickly covered 

 with minute shining glands. Subleaflets a small 3-cleft pair in 

 each interspace, with or without a minute entire pair on either 

 side. Stipules narrowly laciniate-lobed, the terminal lobe longer, 

 often cut on the inner side. Flowers rather large, rather loosely 

 disposed on short subappressed pedicels; sepals elliptic; bracts 

 and bracteoles very small. Fruit about 2" long, i"-i>^" wide, 

 short-obovate or obconic with rather broad furrows, the numerous 

 crowded bristles mostly marginal, ascending and erect, exceeding 

 the broad obtuse calycular process. Roots not seen. (Plate 283, 

 fig. 8.) 



Dry pine woods, according to the label on one specimen. 



