COMPOSITE. (composite FAMILY.) 203 



2. V. olitoria, Poll. Flowers pale blue; fruit compressed, oblique, 

 with a corky mass at the back of the fertile cell, the empty cells large aud 

 sometimes confluent ; stem and leaves as in F. radiata, — New Orleans. 

 Introduced. 



3. V. Woodsiana, Walp., var. patellaria, Gray. Flowers white; 

 fruit circular, notched at both ends, the empty cells concave, broader than the 

 fertile one, aud forming a wing around it. — Kashville {Dr. Gattinger). 



Order 7i. DIPSACACE^E. (Teasel Family.) 



Plants in habit and inflorescence resembling the next order, but 

 with separate anthers, and albnminous suspended seeds, represented 

 here by a single species of 



1. DIPSACUS, Tourn. Teasel. 



Heads oblong. Involucre many -leaved. Flowers in the axil of a thin awn- 

 pointed bract, aud enclosed in a 4-leaved iuvolucel. Calyx 4-augled, truncate, 

 adnate to the l-ceUed, 1-ovuled ovary. Corolla 4-cleft. Stamens 4, inserted 

 on the corolla. — Tall biennials. 



1. D. sylvestris, ililler. Stem prickly, 3°-5° high; leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate, the lowest oblong, crenate-serrate ; involucre longer than the 

 head ; bracts straight awned ; flowers pale purple. — North Carolina. Intro- 

 duced from Europe. 



Order 7.5. COMPOSIT^E. (Composite Family.) 



Flowers clustered in a dense head upon a common receptacle, and 

 surrounded by an involucre. Calyx united with the ovary; the limb 

 (pappus) either obsolete, or forming a cup-like or toothed border, or 

 divided into chaffy scales or bristles. Corolla superior, flat or funnel- 

 shaped, .5- (rarely 4-) lobed, valvate in the bud. Stamens alternate 

 with the lobes of the corolla, and inserted into its tube : anthers co- 

 hei'in'^ in a cjlinder (synf/enesinu.i). Style single: stigmas 2. Fruit 

 (achenium) dry and seed-like. Seed solitary, erect, wdthout albumen. 

 Radicle inferior. — Herbs or shrubs. Leaves without stijiules. Invo- 

 lucre composed of short or leafy bracts (scales of the involucre), arranged 

 in 1 - many series. Receptacle naked, or furnished with scales (chaffy). 

 Heads with the flowers all tubular (discoid), or all strap-shaped, or 

 the marginal ones strap-shaped or ligulate {radiate). 



Artificial Synopsis of the Genera. 



Sdrorder T. TUBULIFLOKiE. Corolla of tlie perfect flowers tubu- 

 lar, equally .5- {rarely .3-4-) lobed. Kay flowers, when present, ligulate, 

 either pistillate or neutral. 



