239 
COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 
49. ERECHTHITES, Raf. Fireweed. 
Heads many-flowered, discoid, the flowers all tubular and fertile; 
the marginal pistillate with a slender corolla. Scales of the cy¬ 
lindrical involucre in a single row, linear, acute, with a few small 
bractlets at the base. Achenia oblong, tapering at the end. Pap¬ 
pus copious, of very fine and white soft hairs. Erect and coarse 
annuals, with alternate simple leaves and paniculate-corymbed 
heads. Flowers whitish. (The ancient name of some species of 
Groundsel, probably called after Erechtheus.') 
1. E. llieracifdlia, Raf. (Fireweed.) Often hairy; stem 
grooved ; leaves lanceolate or oblong, acute, cut-toothed, sessile, the 
upper often with an auricled clasping base. (Senecio hieracifblius, 
L.)—Moist woods, and especially in recent clearings, where the 
ground has been burned over. July—Sept. Plant 1 -5 higi, wi 
somewhat the aspect of a Sow-thistle. 
50. CACALIA, L. Indian Plantain. 
Heads 5-many-flowered, discoid; the flowers all tubular and 
perfect. Scales of the involucre in a single row, with a few 
bractlets at the base. Corolla deeply 5-cleft. Achenia oblong, 
smooth. Pappus of numerous capillary bristles. Smooth and 
tall perennial herbs, with alternate often petioled leaves, and rath 
er large heads in flat corymbs. Flowers white or whitish. (An 
ancient name, of uncertain meaning.) 
* Involucre 25- 30-flowcred : receptacle flat. 
1. C. suaveolcns, L. (Sweet-scented Cacalia.) Stem 
grooved ; leaves triangular-lanceolate, halbert-shaped, pointed, serrate, 
those of the stem on winged petioles; bractlets of the involucre sev¬ 
eral, slender, spreading. — Rich woods, from W. New York and Con- 
necticut southward and westward. Sept. 
* * Involucre Cleaved and 5- flowered: receptacle bearing a more or 
less evident scale-like pointed appendage m the centre. 
2. C. reuif6rous, Mnhl. (Great India* Pla ; ta ‘ n ) S ‘*"' 
(4° -9° high) grooved and angled ; leaves green both sides, delated fan¬ 
shaped, or tile lowest kidney-form, repand-toothed and angled palmate- 
ly veined, petioled ; the teeth pointed ; corymbs large —Rich damp 
woods, Penn, to Indiana and southward. Aug. — Root-leaves often 
2P broad. 
3. C. atlipliciiolia, L. (Pale Ikd.as Plantain.) Stem 
terete, and with the pal mat ely veined and angulate-lobe eaves g au 
cons; lower leaves triangular-kidney-form or slightly heart-s ape , 
