1318 CICHOKIACEAE 



8. TARAXACUM HaU. 



Perennial low acaulescent herbs, with a bitter sap. Leaves basal, often numerous : 

 blades sinuate-toothed to runcinate-pinnatifid, or rarely entire, the segments entire or toothed. 

 Heads yellow, usually solitary at the ends of hollow elongated sometimes tufted peduncles. 

 Involucres double ; inner of 1 series of erect nearly equal slightly united bracts ; outer of sev- 

 eral series of shorter spreading or reflexed bracts. Keceptacle flattish, naked. Rays yel- 

 low, often numerous, truncate and toothed at the apex. Anthers sagittate at the base. 

 Stigmas slender, rather obtuse. Achenes oblong or somewhat fusiform, 4-5-angled, 5-10- 

 ribbed, often tuberculate or spinulose at least below the slender beak. Pappus of numerous 

 white hair-like bristles, persistent. DANDELION. 



1. Taraxacum Taraxacum (L.) Karst. Foliage glabrous or nearly so. Leaves 

 spreading; blades spatulate to oblanceolate or oblong, irregularly dentate "to runcinate- 

 pinnatifid, 3-30 cm. long, more or less pubescent especially when young : scapes solitary 

 or tufted, erect or ascending, 1-2 dm. long, or much longer after flowering : heads with 

 150-200 golden-yellow flowers: involucres 1.5-2 cm. high: bracts acute, linear to linear- 

 oblanceolate ; inner much longer than the outer : achenes about 3 mm. long, rather fusi- 

 form ; body spinulose near the top ; beak about as long as the body. [ T. qfficinale Weber. ] 



On open grounds and waste places, in nearly all parts of the civilized world. Throughout the year. 



9. TRAGOFOGON L. 



Biennial or perennial caulescent herbs, with slender tap-roots and rather succulent tis- 

 sues. Leaf -blades narrow, long-attenuate, clasping or sheathing at the base. Heads pe- 

 duncled, relatively large, expanding in the early morning, usually closing by noon. Invo- 

 lucre cylindric or campanulate : bracts in one series, nearly equal, united at the base. 

 Corollas yellow or purplish : rays sometimes surpassed by the involucral bracts : ligules 

 truncate, 5-toothed at the apex. Anthers sagittate at the base. Stigmas slender. 

 Achenes narrow, terete or 5-angled, 5-10-ribbed, slender-beaked or the outer ones beak- 

 less. Pappus-bristles in one series, united at the base, plumose, the plume-branches inter- 

 webbed. SALSIFY. OYSTER PLANT. 



1. Tragopogon porrif olius L. Foliage glabrous, more or less glaucous. Stems erect, 

 4-15 dm. tall : leaves elongated, tapering from the clasping or sheathing base to a slender 

 tip : peduncles stout and hollow for several cm. below the heads, erect : heads showy, 5- 

 10 cm. broad : involucre surpassing the rays : bracts linear-lanceolate, acuminate, ascend- 

 ing or spreading during anthesis : rays purple : achenes 3.5-4 mm. long, the outer with 

 scale-like tubercles especially along the ribs. 



In fields and waste places, Ontario to Minnesota and Nebraska, south to Georgia. Native of Europe. 

 Summer and fall. 



10. ADOFOGON Neck. 



Annual or perennial caulescent or scapose herbs, with pale green or glaucous foliage. 

 Leaves mainly basal, sometimes completely so : blades entire, or pinnately toothed or pin- 

 natifid. Heads yellow or orange, solitary or corymbed. Involucres campanulate : bracts 

 herbaceous, in 1 or 2 series, not accompanied by smaller ones without. Keceptacle flat, 

 naked. Ligules yellow, sometimes numerous or truncate and toothed at the apex. Anthers 

 sagittate at the base. Stigmas slender, rather obtuse. Achenes oblong to turbinate, 15- 

 20-ribbed, beakless. Pappus mostly in 2 series, the outer of thin broad scales, the inner of 

 slender bristles, or rarely wanting. [Krigia Schreb. ] DWARF DANDELION. 

 Annual plants. 



Involucres of 5-8 bracts, firm and keeled at maturity. 1. A. occidcntalis. 



Involucres of 9-18 thin, nerveless bracts. 2. A. Carolinianus. 



Perennial plants. 



Plants caulescent, sometimes apparently acaulescent : heads 2-many. 



Stems simple below the inflorescence or nearly so : peduncles branching. 3. A. Virginicus. 



Stems diffusely branched : peduncles simple. 4. A. montanus. 



Plants scapose : head solitary. 5. A. Dandelion. 



1. Adopogon occidentals (Nutt. ) Kuntze. Annual, minutely pubescent or glabrate, 

 acaulescent. Leaf -blades obovate, spatulate or oblong, 1-4 cm. long, entire or lyrate-lobed, 

 or pinnatifid, the segments broad ; petioles as long as the blades or longer : scapes slender, 

 0.5-2 dm. tall, often numerous, glandular-hispidulous : bracts of the involucres 5-8, oblong 



