ml COMTOSIT.E. (cOMrOSITE FAMILY.) 



sessile, 3-nenc(l, sparingly scirate ; corymbs dense; heads 1 5 - 20-flowered ; 

 scales of the involucre very obtuse, strongly striate. — Near Natcliez, Mississippi, 

 and South Florida. July -November. — Flowers blue. 



* ♦ Scales (if the involucre purplish, scarioiis, obtuse, imbricated in several rows, the 



outer ones much shorter : leaves whorltd: Jlowers purplish. 



2. E. purpureum, L. Smooth or ])iibcscent; stem simple, tall, often 

 spotted or dott<.d ; leaves petioled, 3-0 in a whorl, varying from lanceolate to 

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

 ercd. — Swamps, rarely in dry woods, Florida to Mississipjji, and northward. 

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

 able species, including E. ternifuliuni, E. maculatum, and E. verticillatum, 

 Ell. 



* * * Scales of the involucre {r/reen or white) imbricated in 2-3 rows, the outer ones 

 shorter: heads 5 - 20-Jiowered : leaves, achenia, ^-c. dotted with resinous (/lands: 

 Jlowers white. 



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



{except No. 13.) 



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

 altcniatc, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, coarsely serrate or toothed, 3-ribbcd at 

 the base ; scales of the involucre lanceolate, obtuse, mucronatc, slioiter 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 sliort, obovate-oblong, 

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

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

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

 long, pale and somewhat glaucous on both sides. 



5. E. leueolepis, Torr. & Gray. Stem simple, virgate, minutely pubes- 

 cent and rougiicncd ; leaves somewhat remote, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 

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

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

 apex, as long as the flowers. — Flat pine barrens, Florida and northwaid. Sept. 

 — Stem 2° high. Leaves 1' - 2' long. 



6. E. parviflorum, Ell. Tomentose ; stem slender, simple or brancJied 

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

 3-ribbed near the base, tapering into a petiole ; corymbs large ; scales of the in- 

 volucre lanceolate, ol)tuse, shorter than the flowers, scarcely longer than the 

 nuiturc achenia. — Margins of ponds and wet places, Florida to North Carolina, 

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

 ers smallest of all. 



7. E. scabridura, Ell.? Stem stout, tomentose ; leaves opposite, ovatc- 

 lanccolate, acute at both ends, thickly and unequally serrate, rough above, tomen- 

 tose and somewhat glaucous beneath, 3-ribbed from near the base; corj'mbs 



