COMrOSIT/E. (COMrO.SITK FAMILY.) 2i9 



r^ou'ded /;i compact short racemes Jonninr/ n pro/oiirjrrl and dense narrow or 

 pyramidal panicle; scales linear-aicl-shaped, appre.xseil ; rays about 10. — 

 Sandy soil, Maine to Va. and southward, mostly near the coast. 

 = 3, Heads middle-sized, in a thjrsoid panicle ; involncral scales rather Jirm, 

 obtuse ; leaves entire or little serrate, smooth. 



16. S. uliginbsa, Nutt. ^'wooM nearly throughout ; stem simple, strii't 

 (2 - :i° higli) ; Icares lanceolate, pointed, the lower tapering into wHiged peti- 

 oles, partly sheathing at tlie base, sparsely serrulate or entire; racemes much 

 crowded and apprcssrd in a dense wand-like panicle ; scales linear-oblong; rays 

 5-6, small. (S. stricta, Man.) — Peat-bogs, Maine to Tenn., Minn., and north- 

 ward. Koot-leaves G- 10' long. Flowers earlier than most species, beginning 

 in July. 



17. S. Speci6sa, Nutt. Stem stout (.'? - 6° high), smooth ; leares thicklsh, 

 smooth with rough margins, oval or ovate, slightly serrate, tlie up|)ermost ob- 

 long-lanceolate, the lower contracted into a margined petiole ; heads somewhat 

 crowded in numerous erect racemes, for minrf an ample pi/ramidal or thi/rsi/onn 

 panicle; peduncles and pedicels rough-hairy ; scales of the cylindrical involucre 

 oblong ; rays about 5, large. — Var. angtstXta, Torr. & Gray, is a dwarf form, 

 with the racemes short and clustered, forming a dense interrupted or compound 

 spike. — Copses, Maine to Minn., and soutliward. — A very handsome species; 

 the lower leaves 4-6' long and 2-4' wide in the larger forms. 



= 4. Heads very small in slender spreadimj secund clusters formimj a mostly 

 short and broad panicle ; leaves entire or nearly so. 



18. S. Od6ra, Ait. (Swekt Golden-rod.) -S/noo/Zi or nearly so through- 

 out; stem slender (2-3° high), often reclined; leaves linear4anceolate, entire, 

 shining, pellucid-dotted ; racemes spreading in a small one-sided panicle ; rays 

 3-4, rather large. — Border of thickets in dry or sandy soil, Maine and Vt. to 

 Ky., and southward. — The crushed leaves yield a pleasant anisate odor ; but 

 an occasional form is nearly scentless. 



19. S. tortifblia, Ell. Stem scabrous-puberuleut, 2-3° high; leaves 

 linear, sliort, commonly twisted, roughish-pul)crulent or glabrate; rays very 

 short. — Dry soil, coast of Va. and southward. 



20. S. pilosa, Walt. Stem stout, upright (3 - 7° high), clothed with spread- 

 ing hairs; leaves oblong-lanceolate, roughish, hairy beneath, at least on the mid- 

 rib, serrulate, the upper ovate-lanceolate or oblong and entire, closely sessile ; 

 racemes many, recurved, in a dense pyramidal panicle ; rays 7-10, very short. 

 — Low grounds, pine barrens of N. J. to Va. and southward. 



= 5. Heads small or middle-sized, racemosely paniculate ; leaves broad or ample, 

 veiny, at least the lower serrate (or entire in n. 28) ; involucral scales obtuse. 



21. S. p^tula, Muhl. Stem strongly angled, smooth (2-4° high); leaves 

 (4-8' long) ovate, acute, serrate, pale, very smooth and veiny underneath, but 

 the upper surface very rough, like shagreen ; racemes rather short and numer- 

 ous on the spreading branches; heads rather large. — Swamps; common. 



22. S. rugbsa, Mill. Rough-hairy, especially the very leafy stem (1 - 6° 

 high) ; leaves orate-lanceolate, elliptical or oblong, of en thickish and very rugose ; 

 racemes spreading ; involucral scales linear ; rays 6-9; the disk-flowers 4-7. 

 (S. altissima, Torr. <J- Gray, not L.) — Borders of fields aaid copses; very com- 



