COMPOSITE FAMILY. 189 



woody at b-\se, twice or thrice pinnately parted leaves with lanceolate lobes, and 

 nodding hemispherical heads. 



A. VUlgaris, MUGWORT of Eu. ; in old gardens and roadsides, with 

 pinnatifid leaves green above and cottony-white beneath, their lance-linear 

 divisions mostly cut and cleft, and small heads in open panicles. 



A. Ludoviciana, WESTERN M., is wild from Michigan W. and S. W., 

 with lanceolate leaves mostly cottony-white on both sides, many of them entire 

 or merely toothed, and larger heads in narrow or spike-like panicles. 

 * * Leaves (and whole plant) smooth and green or nearly so, 

 *- Not very fine or finely cut. 



A. bi^nnis, BIENNIAL WORMWOOD. Gravelly banks and shores N. W., 

 extending E. along railroads; l-3 high, with small greenish heads much 

 crowded in the axils the once or twice pinnatifid leaves, their lobes linear, in the 

 lower cut- toothed. 



A. Dracunculus, TARRAGON, is sparingly cult, from Eu. for the aro- 

 matic (lance-linear entire) leaves, used as a condiment. 11 



*- - Very fine thread-like or capillary divisions to the 1 - 3-pinnately divided 

 leaves : heads loosely punided. 



A. Abrotanum, SOUTHERNWOOD, from S. Eu. ; cult, in gardens for the 

 pleasant-scented foliage, 3 - 5 high, woody-stemmed. 11 



A. caudata, is a wild Wormwood along the sandy coast and lake shores, 

 2 - 4 high. 



13. FILAGO, COTTON-ROSE. (Latin name, from the cottony hairs.) 

 P. Germanica, GERMAN C. or HERBA IMPIA of the old herbalists, 



branches with a new generation of clustered heads rising out of the parent clus- 

 ter at the top of the stem (as if undutifully exalting themselves) ; stems 5' - 10' 

 high, crowded with the lanceolate erect and entire cottony leaves. Old dry 

 fields from New York S. ; fl. summer and autumn. 



14. ERECHTHITES, FIREWEED. (Ancient name of some Ground- 

 sel, after Erechthcus ) Fl. summer and autumn. 



E. hieracifblia, one of the plants called FIREWEED, because springing 

 up where woods have been cleared and ground burned over, especially N. : very 

 rank and coarse herb, often hairy, l-5 high, with lanceolate or oblong cut- 

 toothed leaves, the upper with auriclcd clasping base, and panicled or corymbed 

 heads of dull white dowers, in fruit with copious white and very soft downy 

 pappus. 



15. GNAPHALIUM, EVERLASTING, IMMORTELLE, 



WEED. (Name from Greek, meaning lock of wool.) Fl. summer and 

 autumn. 



1. Wild species, with crowded final/ heads, the slender pistillate flowers very 

 numerous and occupying several rows. 



* Scales of the involucre white or yellowish-white : stem erect, l-2 high : heads 



ma 11 1/, con/mtod. Common in old fields, copses, $'c. 



G. polyc^phalum, COMMON EVERLASTING. Leaves lanceolate, with 

 narrowed base and wavy margins, the upper surface nearly naked ; the perfect 

 flowers few in the centre of each head. 



G. decurrens, DECURRENT E., equally common from New Jersey to 

 Michigan and N. ; leaves lance-linear, cottony both sides, the base partly clasp- 

 ing and extending down on the stem ; many perfect flowers in the centre of each 

 head. ^ 



* * Scales of the involucre tawni/ -purplish or ichitish, not at all showy or petal- 



like: heads small, crowded in sessile dusters: stems spreading or ascending, 



3' - 20' high. 



G. Uliginbsum, Low CUDWEED. A most common, insignificant little 

 weed in wet places, especially roadsides, with lanceolate or linear leaves, and in- 

 conspicuous heads in terminal clusters. 



