406 



Minnesota Plant Life. 



while the outer is made up of short scales. Related to the 

 thoroughworts are the ])laziug-stars of the prairies and thickets, 

 some sorts being also very prominent in open pine woods.- 

 These are wand-plants, with handsome pink or purple heads, 

 of massive appearance in ordinary varieties, all arranged in a 

 spike-like cluster at the end of the upright stem. The leaves 

 are very narrow, like short grass leaves. The gum-plant or 

 Grindclia, may be known by its sticky leaves and heads, — the 

 latter with yellow rays and yellow disk flowers. 



Fig. 200. Aiitiiiuiial vcRctalion of marsh border. ThoronRhwort or joe-i'vc weed. After 



pliotograph by WiUianis. 



The goldenrods are, for the most jiart. wand-plants with 

 densely panicled small yellow heads. In many varieties the 

 heads are arranged in one-sided racemes and these are aggre- 

 gated together in paniculate clusters, in three varieties becom- 

 ing flat-topped. Some goldenrods. found in prairie districts, 

 have rather narrow leaves, while others, nalixes of deep woods, 

 lia\e ihem \er\- broad. o\ate or o])long. The diltt-rent kinds 

 of ijoldenrods ma\ be known b\ the sizes ot llu- heails, by the 



