COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 201 



lanceolate, acute, appressed. Lincolnton, North Carolina, Curtis. Stem pur- 

 ple, 2 -3 high. Lower leaves 5' -6' long, 3" wide. Heads smaller than those 

 of the preceding. 



17. A., virgatus, Ell. Stem very smooth, straight, bearing the heads in 

 a single raceme at the summit of the long and slender branches ; leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, entire, rough on the margins, partly clasping, the lowest broader and 

 narrowed at the base ; scales of the involucre lanceolate, acuminate ; the outer 

 ones spreading. Western districts of Georgia, and westward. Stem 3 4 

 high. Lower leaves 3' - 6' long ; those of the branches small and numerous. 



18. A. COncinnus, Willd. Stem nearly smooth, somewhat loosely cor- 

 ymbose ; the branches virgate, dichotomous-paniculate ; leaves lanceolate, 

 partly clasping, remotely and sharply serrate, with scabrous margins ; those of 

 the branchlets oblong, entire ; scales of the involucre linear, acute, closely imbri- 

 cated. (A. cyaneus? Ell.) Florida to North Carolina. Stem 2 -3 high. 

 Achenia pubescent. 



* * * * Lower leaves large, cordate, on long petioles : heads middle-sized or small, 

 racemed orpanicled: scales of the involucre somewhat membranaceous, with short 

 green tips : rays blue or violet. 



-i Leaves entire, or nearly so. 



19. A. azureus, Lindl. Stem roughish, rigid, racemose-compound at the 

 summit, the branches slender ; leaves rigid, rough ; the lowest ovate-lanceolate 

 or oblong ; the upper lanceolate or linear, sessile ; those of the branches subu- 

 late, appressed ; scales of the obconical involucre closely imbricated, abruptly 

 acute. Dry soil in the upper districts of Georgia and northward. Stem 2 - 

 3 high. Rays bright blue. 



20. A. Shortii, Hook. Stem smoothish, slender, racemose-panicled at the 

 summit ; leaves nearly smooth, ovate-lanceolate, acute ; those of the stem all on 

 slender petioles, and obtuse or cordate at the base, commonly entire ; those of 

 the branches oblong, sessile ; scales of the bell-shaped involucre linear, closely 

 imbricated, rather obtuse, shorter than the disk. Mountains of Georgia and 

 westward. Stem 2 - 4 high. Rays violet-blue. 



21. A. undulatus, L. Pubescent; stem racemose-panicled above ; leaves 

 varying from lanceolate to broadly ovate, often wavy or slightly serrate on the 

 margins, roughish on the upper surface ; the lowest on long and slender petioles, 

 which are dilated and clasping at the base ; the upper on broadly winged peti- 

 oles, or sessile and clasping ; scales of the obovoid involucre linear, appressed, 

 acute. (A. diversifolius, A. sagittifolius, and A. scaber, Ell. ; the last with 

 smaller leaves, and very rough on both sides.) Woods, common and very va- 

 riable. Stem 2 - 3 high. Heads small. Rays pale blue. 



22. A. asperulus, Torr. & Gray. Roughish; stem racemose-panicled 

 above, or simple ; lowest leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse or slightly cordate at the 

 base, sparingly serrate, on slender (not clasping) petioles ; the upper oblong, 

 narrowed at the base, sessile or on short winged petioles ; those of the branches 

 minute ; heads loosely racemed or panicled, small ; scales of the hemispherical 

 involucre lanceolate, acute. Dry gravelly soil, West Florida, Georgia, and 

 westward. Stem 2 high. Rays pale blue. 



