194 COMPOSITE, (composite family.) 



sessile, 3-ncn'cd, sparingly seiTatc ; corjnnbs dense; heads 1 5 - 20-flowercd ; 

 scales of tlic involucre very obtuse, strongly striate. — Near Natchez, Mississippi, 

 and Soutii Florida. July -November. — Flowei-s blue. 



* * Scales of the involucre purplish, scarious, obtuse, imbricated i« several rows, the 



oulir ones much shorter: leaves whorled : Jlowcrs purplish. 



2. E. purpureum, L. Smooth or pubescent; stem simple, tall, often 

 spotted or dotted ; leaves petioled, 3-6 in a whorl, varying from lanceolate to 

 ovate, coarsely serrate, rougliish ; corymbs large, compound ; heads 5-10-flow- 

 ered. — Swamps, rarely in diy woods, Florida to Mississippi, and northward. 

 Aug. -Sept. — Stem 3° -10° high, solid or hollow, even or grooved. A vari- 

 able Fijccies, including E. ternifolium, E. maculatum, and E. verticillatum, 

 J-Jll. 



* * * Scales of the involucre (green or white) imbricated in 2-3 rows, the outer ones 

 shorter: heads 5 - 20-Jlowered : leaves, achenia, ^-c. dotted with resinous glands; 

 Jlowers white. 



■t- Heads 5-Jlowcred: leaves undivided, sessile or narrowed into a stalk-like base 

 {except Ko. 12.) 



3. E. hyssopifolium, L. Pubescent ; leaves opposite, the upper ones 

 alternate, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, coarsely serrate or toothed, 3-ribbed at 

 the base ; scales of the involucre lanceolate, obtuse, mucronate, shorter than the 

 flowers. (E. linearifolium, Walt.) — Varies with the leaves narrow-linear and 

 entire, the lower ones 4 in a whorl, and numerous smaller ones in the axils. — 

 Low ground, Florida to Mississippi, and northward. Sept. — Stem 2° - 3° 

 high. Leaves rigid, sometimes all alternate. 



4. E. euneifolium, Willd. Pubescent; leaves short, obovate-oblong, 

 sparingly serrate near tlie summit, or entire, 3-ribbed, mostly very obtuse ; scales 

 of the involucre obtuse, shorter than the flowers. (E. glaucescens, Ell.) — Rich 

 shaded soil, Florida to South Carolina. Sept. — Stem 2°-3° high. Leaves 1' 

 long, jjalc and somewhat glaucous on both sides. 



5. E. leucolepis, Ton-. & Gray. Stem simple, virgate, minutely pubes- 

 cent and rouglicned ; leaves somewliat remote, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 

 acute, serrate, very rough on both sides, obscurely 3-iil)bed ; corymbs ample, 

 hoary ; scales of the involucre lanceolate, acuminate, Avhite and scarious at the 

 apex, as long as the flowers. — Flat pine baiTens, Florida and northward. Sept. 

 — Stem 2° high. Leaves l'-2' long. 



C. E. pai'Viflorura, Ell. Tomentose ; stem slender, simple or branched 

 above ; leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled, lanceolate, acute, strongly serrate, 

 3-ribl)ed near the base, tapering into a j)ctiole ; corymbs large ; scales of the in- 

 volucre lanceolate, obtuse, shorter than the flowers, scarcely longer than the 

 mature achenia. — Margins of jtonds and wet places, Florida to North Carolina, 

 and westward. Sept. — Stem 2° high. Leaves 2' long, strongly veined. Flow- 

 ers smallest of all. 



7. E. BCabridum, Ell.? Stem stout, tomentose ; leaves opposite, ovate- 

 lanceolate, acute at both ends, thickly and uneijually serrate, n)ugh al)ove, tomen- 

 tose and suinewhat glaucous beneath, 3-ribbcd from near the bu^c ; corymbs 



