SYNGRNESTA. ^QUALIS. 83 



Fl. Midd'e of May, and after. Fr. mat. Beginning of June, and after- 



Mab. Sandy, old fields; roadsides, &c. frequent. Scapes 3 to 9 inches high: flowers yellow. 



Ohs The K- dichotoma, of Nuttall, is frequent here; though I incline to think, with Dr. W. P. C. Bar- 

 ton, that it is scarcely more than a variety. This seems to be a polymorphous plant, varymg considerably 

 in habit during its progress to maturity. 



278. PRENANTHES. Nutt. Qen. 628. 



[Gr. Prenes, drooping, or nodding, and Anthos, a flower; in reference to its nodding flowers.] 



Florets 5 to 20, in a simple series: Cal. cylindric, calyculate. Pappus subsessile, pilose. 



p. ALTissiMA? Ell. Leaves 3 lobed, angled, denticulate,-upper ones lance-ovate, acute; racemes axillary 



Fl. Latter end of August. Fr. mat. Last of September. 



Hub. Open woodlands, &c. frequent. 3 to 6 feet high: flowers purplish yellow. 



Ohs. Nothing is more easy than to recognise the genus Prenanthes; but the leaves assume such a vari- 

 ety of shapes that it is by no means an easy matter to determme the species, satisfactorily. This comes- 

 nearertotiie description of P. altissima, in Elliott's Sketch, than to any other; but the upper leaves are 

 lance-ovate, and attenuated at base— which circumstance he does not mention. 



p. coRDATA. Ell. Leaves cordate-ovate,denticulate,ciliate, upper ones lanceolate; panicle loose. 



Fl. Last of August. Fr- mat. Beginnmg of October. 



Hab. Woodlands: Patton's, &c. frequent. U to 3 feet high: flowers pale yellow. 



p. DELTOiDEA. Ell. Leavcs denticulate, lower ones deltoid, upper lance-ovate; racemes axillary, small. 



Fl. Latter end of August. Fr. mat. Last of September. 



Hub. Woodlands: Bath, &c. frequent. 2 to 3 feet high: flowers purplish white. 



p. •EXPENTARiA? Ph. Lower leaves palmate and pinnatifid, decurrent on the petioles; panicles terminal. 



FuZ;,'0-Rattle-snake root. Lion's foot. Dr. Witt's S.nake root. 



Fl. Latter end of August, and after. Fr. mat. Beginning of October. 



Hab. Borders of moist woodlands; thickets, &c. frequent. 3 to 5 feat high: flowers yellowish purple. 



Obs Thi'; a pretty stout, vigorous species, with purple stems and calyces-the lowest leaves mostly pin- 

 nahfi i the uSpermosrianceolate, and the intermediate sub-palmate-lobed. It agrees partly with the 

 deSt.onsgivenbothof P. serpentaria, and F._alba._ If they are , really^ distmct,, I am unable to dete_^r^^ 

 mine to which this belon 

 by Pursh, and Schaspf, ,_._ ., 

 enough of such vaunted remedies to iaduce me to receive reports ^ 



de^cript^ns given bom^i:'.^.^na.^« -^ -.—;„-„-- ^^ {^(.i^ii;:'^^^^^:^ announced 

 r? rs" and'sch^rf ort^Xth?^^^^^^^^^ the sa^me plant,) I know nothing: but I know 



.LIk"/ r.h v^nntPd ;^me.dies to induce me to receive reports of that description with caution. 



2T9. LACTUCA. Nutt. Gen. 629. 

 [Lat. Lac, lactis, milk; in reference to the milky juice of the plant] 

 Cal. cylindric, imbricate, margins membranaceous. Pappus stipitate, pilose. Seed compressed. 

 L. ELONGATA. Ell. Glabrous; lower leaves runcinate, upper long-lanceolate; panicle corymbose. 

 Synon. L. longifolia. Mx. r'«/go-WiId Lettuce. 



Fl. Middle of July, and after. Fr. mat. Middle of August, and after 



Hab. Fence-rows; cultivated grounds, &c. frequent. 2 to 5 feet high: flowers yellow. 

 Obs. The leaves of this plant are subject to much variety in their form 



280. SONCHUS. Nutt. Gen. 6,W. 

 [An ancient Greek name; of obscure meaning.] 

 Cal. ventricose, acuminate, imbricate. Pappus sessile, pilose. Sent somewhat oblong 

 S. OLERACEUs. Ell. Leaves amplexicaul, sinuate-dentate, and pinnatifid; flowers in umbels. 

 Fu/g:o— Common Sow-thistle. 



Fl. Latter end of August- Fr- mat. Middle of September. 



Hab. Gardens, and cultivated lots: frequent. 2 to 3 feet high, flowers palish yellow. 



Obs. A foreigner; and rather an unwelcome intruder in our gardens, and other cultivated grounds. Ths 

 flowers are about half the size of those of the Dandelion. 



S. LEUCOPH Eus. Ph. Leaves runcinate, acuminate; panicle virgate; flowers racemose; peduncles squamose. 

 Fl. Middle of August, and after. Fr. mat. Beginning of September and alter- 



mi- Fence-r«ws, and tluckets: frequent . 3 to 5 feet high- flowers pale blue. «ma!h»h. 



