184 co:»irosiTiE. (composite family.) 



2. ELEPMAITOPIJS, L. Elephant's-foot. 



Heads 3 - 5-flowcred, clustered into a compound head : flowers perfect. Invo- 

 lucre narrow, flattened, of 8 oblong dry scales. Achenia many-ribbed. Pappu3 

 of stout bristles, chaffy-dilated at the base. — Perennials, with alternate leaves 

 and purplish flowers. (Name composed of e\e(f>as, elephant, and noiis, foot.) 



I.E. Caroiilfiiamts, Willi*. Somewhat hairy, corymbose, leafy; 

 leaves ovate-oblong, thin. — Dry soil, Pennsylvania to Illinois and southward. 



3. SCLEKOLEPIS, Cass. Sclerolepis. 



Head many-flowered : flowers perfect. Scales of the involucre linear, equal, 

 in 1 - 2 rows. Corolla 5-toothed. Achenia 5-angled. Pappus a single row of 

 almost horny oval and obtuse scales. — A smooth aquatic perennial, with simple 

 stems, rooting at the base, bearing linear entire leaves in whorls of 5 or 6, and 

 terminated by a head of flesh-colored flowers. (Name from o-kXtjoos, hard, and 

 Xejn's, a scale, alluding to the pappus.) 



1. S. vcrtscillskta, Cass. — Pine barrens, New Jersey and southward. 

 Aug. 



4. LIATKIS, Schreb. Button Snakekoot. Blazing-Star. 



Head several - many-flowered : flowers perfect. Scales of the involucre im- 

 bricated, appressed. Receptacle naked. Corolla 5-lobed. Achenia slender, 

 tapering to the base, about 10-ribbed. Pappus of 15-40 capillary bristles, 

 which are manifestly plumose, or only bai'bellate. — Perennial herbs, often 

 resinous-dotted, with rigid alternate entire leaves, and heads of handsome rose- 

 purple flowers, spicate, racemose, or panicled-cymose, appearing late in summer 

 or in autumn. (Derivation of the name unknown.) 



$ 1 . Ste?n usually wand-like and simple, from a globular or roundish conn or tuber 

 (which is impregnated ivith resinous matte?-), very leafy : leaves narrow or grass-like, 

 l-5-nerved: heads spicate or racemed: involucre well imbricated: lobes of the 

 corolla long and slender. 



* Pappus very plumose ; scales of the 5-flowered involucre with ovate or lanceolate 

 spreading petal-like (purple or sometimes white) tips, exceeding the flowers. 



1. 1L. elegasis, Willd. Stem (3° -5° high) and involucre hairy; leaves 

 short and spreading; spike or raceme compact (1° long). — Barren soil, Vir- 

 ginia and southward. 



#= # Pappus very plumose : scales of the cylindrical many-flowered involucre imbri- 

 cated in many rows, the tips rigid, not petal-like: corolla hairy within. 



2. Jj. Sdptaa't'dsa, Willd. (Blazing-Star, &c.) Often hairy 11° -3° 

 high) ; leaves linear, elongated ; heads few (1' long) ; scales of the involucre mostly 

 with elongated and leaf-like spreading tips. — Dry soil, Pennsylvania to Illinois 

 and southward. 



3. Bj. cylaaa«lracea, Michx. Commonly smooth (6'- 18' high) ; leaves 

 linear; heads few (h' -'$' long) ; scales of the involucre all with short and rounded 

 appressed tijis.— Dry open places, Niagara Falls to Wisconsin, and southwestward. 



