124 VERNONIA NOVEBORACENSIS. IRON-WEED; FLAT-TOP. 



the world, outside of America, and many also brought in from 

 other genera, with which they had previously been classed. 



Several species have been described by botanists, which after- 

 wards proved to be identical with V. Noveboracensis, or at least 

 not sufficiently distinct from it to warrant their being reckoned 

 as separate species. Prof. Wood and Dr. Chapman note that 

 V. prcralta of Lessing, and V. tomentosa of Elliott, are not dis- 

 tinct species, but at best only varieties of V. Novcboj^acensis. 



The somewhat formidable specific designation of our plant, 

 Novcboraccusis, is Latin, and means " belonging to the state of 

 New York." It used to be customary to name plants from the 

 places from which they were received, and our plant was first sent 

 to Linnceus from New York, probably by Dr. Colden, a valued 

 correspondent of the great naturalist. But the species is by no 

 means confined to New York, although it happens to be more 

 abundant there than further north. Dr. Gray gives Maine as 

 its most northerly limit, but it is probably rare in that state, as 

 it is not included in the Portland " Catalogue of Maine Plants." 

 Dr. Chapman says it grows "from Florida and Mississippi 

 northward." Prof. Lesquereux names it as very abundant in 

 Arkansas, but the writer of this never found it in either Arkan- 

 sas or Texas, although a closely allied species, which might 

 easily be mistaken for V. Novcboracensis, is abundant in both 

 these states. It is remarkable that in the state of Michigan 

 our species should only be found in the eastern part, while the 

 very closely allied species, V.fasciculata, takes its place in the 

 western part, according to the observation of Mr. Frank H. 

 Tuthill, of Kalamazoo, as recorded in the " Botanical Gazette." 

 It is again found in Iowa, and extends to Nebraska, where its 

 march westward ceases. 



Explanation of the Tlate. — i. A rather small fascicle of flowers. — 2. Achene and 

 pappus. 



