222 COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 



26. A. multifloms, Ait. Whitish-pubescent; stein very leafy, and 

 much branched ; leaves linear, obtuse at each end, often bristle-pointed, 

 spreading or recurved, the upper ones sessile or somewhat clasping ; heads 

 densely racemose on the short and very leafy branches, or sometimes solitary 

 at their summits ; scales of the involucre broadest at the apex, obtuse or 

 short-pointed. Dry sterile soil, in the upper districts. Stem l-2high. 

 Leaves about 1' long. Rays white. 



* 6. Leaves linear, lana-olale, or ob/o/uj, sessile, usually narrowed at the base : 

 heads small or middle-sized: scales of the involucre incmbranaceous, with aj>- 

 pressed or sliglttly spreading tips : rai/s pale purple or white. 



i- Heads s?na/l. 



27. A. racemosus, Kll. Rough-pubescent; stem much branched, bear- 

 ing the small heads in a spiked raceme near the summit of the slender erect 

 branches; leaves linear, sessile, rigid; scales of involucre smooth, linear subu- 

 late ; the inner ones as long as the disk ; rays very short 1 )amp rich soil, 

 Paris Island, South Carolina Stem 2 high. Ravs pale purple. 



28. A. Ctumosus, L. Smoothish ; stem slender, racemose-panicled, bear- 

 ing the small heads chiefly on slender and very leafy branchlets ; leaves linear, 

 entire, spreading or rerlexed ; the lowest spatulate -lanceolate, serrate ; those 

 of the branches short, linear-oblong, and mostly obtuse scales of the in- 

 volucre closely imbricated in 3 - 6 rows, with obtuse green tips. Dry or damp 

 soil, common, and running into several varieties. Stem 2 -3 high. Rays 

 pale purple or white. 



29. A. vimineus, Lam. Stem slender, pubescent, racemose-branched ; 

 leaves long, linear-lanceolate, sparingly serrate, tapering into a long and slen- 

 der point; the uppermost entire ; heads in close racemes along the spreading 

 branches; scales of the involucre narrow-linear, acute, imbricated in 3-4 

 rows. Low ground in the upper districts. Stem 2 -3 high. Rays pale 

 purple or white. 



30. A. diffusus, Ait. Pubescent or hairy; stem simple, and bearing the 

 small heads in a long and leafy compound raceme, or diffusely branched, with 

 the heads scattered along the branches, or in short few-flowered racemes; 

 leaves varying from linear-lanceolate to wedge-obovate, acute at each end, 

 sharply serrate in the middle ; the lowest spatulate, the uppermost entire ; 

 scales of the involucre linear, acute. Low grounds and banks, common and 

 very variable. Stem 1 - 4 long. Rays white or purplish. 



Var. bifrons, Gray. Smooth throughout; stem simple, slender, 2 -3 

 high; leaves thin, lanceolate, remotely serrate, 4' - 6' long ; heads in small 

 axillary and terminal panicles. Shaded river banks, Georgia and Tennessee. 



-(- >- Heads middle-sized. 



31. A. paniculatus, Lam. Stem smooth or pubescent in lines, corym- 

 bose or racemose-branched ; heads in short racemes ; leaves lanceolate, acute 

 or acuminate at both ends, smooth, rough on the margins, the lower ones 

 sharply serrate : scales of the involucre linear-subulate, loosely imbricated. 

 Low ground, Florida, and northward. Stem 3 - 6 high, sparingly or 

 diffusely branched. Leaves 2' - 4' long. Rays pale blue. 



