COMPOSITAE 143 



6. H. dnnuus, L. Root fibrous, annual; stem stout, nearly simple; 

 leaves cordate and broadly ovate, petiolate; heads subsolitary, 

 very large. 

 ANNUAL HELIANTHUS. Garden Sunflower. 



Stem 4 to 6 or 8 feet high. Leaves 6 to 10 or 12 inches long, and 4 to 6 or 8 inches 

 broad, on petioles 3 to 6 inches in length. Heads of flowers 4 to 8 or 10 inches in di- 

 ameter, flat, often nodding ; rays 1 to 2 inches long. Akenes obovate-oblong, stri- 

 ate, somewhat pubescent, leaden brown, with white margins, and stripes. 

 Hob. Gardens, &c. Nat. of Peru. Fl. Aug. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. This species is almost naturalized, in many gardens, being 

 much cultivated as a showy plant. It is said to be worth cultiva- 

 ting, for the oil afforded by the akenes. Doctor DARWIN thus sings 

 of the Sunflower: 



" Great HELIAJTTHUS guides o'er twilight plains 



In gay solemnity his Dervise-trains ; 



Marshal'd in Jives each gaudy band proceeds, 



Each gaudy band a plumed Lady * leads ; 



With zealous step he climbs the upland lawn, 



And bows in homage to the rising dawn; 



Imbibes with eagle eye the golden ray, 



And watches, as it moves, the orb of day." 



204. AC)TItf OM'ERIS, Nuttall. 



[Or. Aktin, a ray, and merif, a part ; the heads being but partially rayed.] 

 Heads many-flowered; ray-florets few, distant, neutral. Involucral 

 scales in 1 to 3 series, foliaceous. Akenes 4-angled, laterally com- 

 pressed, 2- winged; pappus 2 smoothish persistent awns. Chaff of 

 the small convex receptacle embracing the outer winged margin of 

 the akenes. Tall perennials : leaves penninerved, mostly alternate, 

 and decurrent; heads corymbed; flowers chiefly yellow. 



1. A. squarrosa, Nutt. Stem winged above ; leaves lanceolate, 



acuminate at each end ; scales of the involucre in 2 series, finally 



reflexed; disk subglobos^, in fruit squarrose; akenes broadly 



winged. 



SQUARROSE AOTINOMERIS. 



Stem 3 to 6 or 8 feet high, rather slender, roughish-pubescent, yellowish, with 

 green wings decurrent from the leaves. Leaves 4 to 6 or 8 inches long, serrate, 

 narrowed at base to a tapering margined petiole, the margin decurrent on the 

 stem. Heads of flowers rather small, in a terminal leafy corymbose panicle ; rays 

 3 to 5 or 6, about an inch long. Akenes much compressed, obovate, somewhat 

 hairy ; pappus of 2 subulate diverging awns. 

 Hob. Moist grounds; along streams: not common. Fl. Aug. Fr. Sept. 



205. BrDEXS, L. 



[Latin, Udent, having 2 teeth ; alluding to the awns of the fruit.] 

 Heads many- (or sometimes few-) flowered ; ray-florets neutral, often 

 few and inconspicuous, sometimes wanting. Involucral scales in 2 

 series, the outer commonly large and foliaceous. Akenes obcom- 



* In reference to this phrase, Dr. D. remarks, in a note, that " the seeds of many 

 plants of this class are furnished with a plume, by which admirable mechanism, 

 they are disseminated by the winds far from their parent stem, and look like a 

 shuttlecock, as they fly." This is true of many syngenesious plants ; but unluck- 

 ily for the Poet's Botany, is not at all applicable to the pappus of Hdianthus. 



