163 



age of those touching them, and many are only poisonous in certain stages of 

 their growth. 



Save for the medicinal value of some few forms, none within the State are of 

 economic value, if Jerusalem artichoke {Helianthus tuberosu.'f L. ) and the Dande- 

 lion {Taraxacum officinale Weber), both of which are occasionally used as food, are 

 excepted. 



Very few of the composit* are eaten by animals, except by accident or under 

 pressure of hunger. They are also largely free, at least the Indiana forms, from 

 plant diseases. Their limitation in numbers and distribution I believe to be 

 largely determined by the causes named earlier in this paper. 



It is not the purpose of this paper to give a full list of the forms found in the 

 State, but rather to call attention to the more general facts concerning their 

 distribution. 



r. LOCAL FORMS. 



The species included in this list, so far as has come to my knowledge, are only 

 rejiorted from a single locality. A close examination of the list will show that in 

 many cases this apparently restricted State range is but an indication of territory 

 that has been closely and continuously worked. 



Vernonia aJtissima Nutt. Reported from Tippecanoe county by Messrs. 

 Laben and Conner. The distinction between this form and V. fa^cicidata Michx., 

 turns upon the character of the inflorescence and the surface of the achene. Any 

 one familiar with the varied inflorescence of V. fuficiculata -wiW see that the ulti- 

 mate distinction is upon the character of the achene. In fasciculata the achene is 

 smooth ; in althsimu hispidulous on the ribs. In the specimens reported the 

 achenes were hispidulous on the ribs and the plant was referred to altissima Nutt. 

 Further examination of the genus showed that the achenes of V. Noveboracen,-<is 

 Willd., showed the same characters. The character of the involucral scales, how- 

 ever, excludes the form from Noveboracensi.-^. V. altissima Nutt. is, therefore, 

 added to the State flora. In a general way the plant has the inflorescence and 

 achene of Nov€borax:ensis, the involucral scales oi fascicvlata, and leaves intermediate 

 between the two. Its appearance is strongly suggestive of the possibility of its 

 being a hybrid form. 



Mikania scandens L. Reported from Gibson and Posey counties by Dr. J. 

 Schneck. " Sandy thickets along streams; rare."^ There seems to be no reason 



- 7th Rep. Geol. Surv. Ind., 1875, p. 5?5. 



