250 COMPOSITE, (composite family.) 



mon, presenting a great variety of forms; usually one of the lowest of the 

 common Golden-rods. It flowers early. Aug. - Sept. 



23. S. Ulmifolia, Muhl. Stem smooth, the branches hairy ; leaves thin, 

 elliptical-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, pointed, tapering to the base, loosely veined, 

 beset with soft hairs beneath ; racemes panicled, recurved-spreading ; involu- 

 cral scales lanceolate-oblong ; rays about 4. — Low copses ; common. — Too 

 near the last ; distinguished only by its smooth stem and thin larger leaves. 



24. S. Elliottii, Torr. & Gray. Smooth; stem stout (l - 3° high) , very 

 leafy; leaves elliptical or oblong-lanceolate, acute (2-3' long), closely sessile, 

 slightly serrate, strongly veined, thick, smooth both sides, shining above ; heads 

 in dense spreading rcCcemes which are crowded in a close pyramidal panicle ; 

 peduncles and achenes strigose-pubescent. (S. elliptica, Torr. Sf Gray, not 

 j^lt,) — Swamps (fresh or brackish) near the coast, Mass. to N. J. and south- 

 ward. — Heads showy, 3" long ; the rays 8-12. 



25. S. neglecta, Torr. & Gray. Smooth; stem stout (2-4° high), less 

 leafy ; leaves thickish, smooth both sides, opaque ; the upper oblong-lanceolate, 

 mostly acute and nearly entire ; the lower ovate-lanceolate or oblong, sharply 

 serrate, tapering into a petiole; racemes short and dense, at length spreading, 

 disposed in an elongated or pyramidal close panicle ; peduncles and achenes 

 nearly glabrous. — Swamps, Maine to Md., Wise, and Minn. — Heads rather 

 large, crowded ; the racemes at first erect and scarcely one-sided. Very 

 variable, the forms approaching n. 16 and 27. 



Var. linoldes, Gray. The most slender form ; radical leaves 4-8' long 

 and 4 - 6" wide, the upper very small, erect ; branches of panicle rather few, 

 one-sided ; rays 2-5. (S. linoides, Torr. ^ Gray.) — Mass. to N. J. 



26. S. Boottii, Hook. Smooth, or scabrous-pubescent or below hirsute, 

 slender, often branched, 2-5° high ; leaves rather finely serrate, ovate to ob- 

 long-lanceolate, pointed ; the upper small, oblong to narrowly lanceolate, often 

 entire ; heads loosely racemose ; rays 1 - 5 or none ; aclienes pubescent. — Dry 

 grounds, Va. and southward. 



27. S. argtlta, Ait. Smooth; stem angled ; leaves {\axge smd thin) ovate, 

 and the upper elliptical-lanceolate, very sharply and strongly serrate (entire only 

 on the branches), po/?i/f?f/ at both ends, the lowest on margined petioles ; racemes 

 pubescent, spreading, disposed in an elongated open panicle; rays 6-7, large; 

 achenes usually glabrous. (S. Muhlenbergii, Torr. S^ Gray.) — Copses and 

 moist woods, N. H. to Penn., Out., and N. E. Minn. — Racemes much shorter 

 and looser than in the next ; the involucral scales thin and more slender ; the 

 heads somewhat larger, fully 3" long. 



28. S. jlineea, Ait. Smooth throughout (1 - 3° high) ; radical and lower 

 stem-leaves elliptical or lanceolate-oval, sharply serrate with spreading teeth, 

 pointed, tapering into winged and ciliate petioles ; the others lanceolate or nar- 

 rowly oblong, slightly triple-nerved, tapering to each end, the uppermost entire ; 

 racemes dense, naked, at length elongated and recurved , forming a crowded and 

 fat corymb-like panicle ; rays 8 -12, small. (S. arguta, Torr. ^' Gray.) — Var. 

 SCABRELLA, Gray, is somewhat roughish-pubescent (Wise, to Ky.). — Copses 

 and banks ; common. Well distinguished by its long or drooping racemes, and 

 the closely appressed rigid scales of the involucre, small rays, etc. Heads sel- 

 dom over 2" long, the scales small and pale. 



