84 SYNGENESIA. iEQUAI.TS. 



S. FLORiDANus. £IL Lcaves lyrate-runcinate, petiolate; flowers paniculate; peduncles sub-squamosc- 

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



Hub. Fence-rows, &c. frequent. S to 6 feet high; flowers blue, larger than the preceding. 



Ohs. This is another of the plants, which, according to Pursh, is reputed to cure the bite of the Rattle- 

 snake. He says it is known by the name of Gall of the Earth: but Mr. Elliott refers that name to 

 the Prenanthes alba— the root of which he says is excessively bitter. 



I have specimens, also, which agree pretty well with the S. acuminatus, of Willdenow. and Elliott; with 

 the pappus certainly sessile. See- Elliott- 



281. HIERACIUM. Nutt. Oen. 631. 

 [Gr. flttrax, a hawk ; from an ancient notion, that hawks sharpened their sight with its juice. The absurd- 

 ity of the idea, says Dr. Smith, proves the venerable antiquity of the name.] 



Cal. ovate, imbricate- Pajipus sessile, pilose. iJece^i. nearly naked. .Seerf oblong, sulcate. 



H. VENOSUM. Ell- Leaves lance-obovate, ciliate, vpins purple; scape naked, corymbose-paniculate. 

 Vulgo — Veiny-leaved Hawk-weed. Adder's tongue. Poor Robin's Plantain. 

 Fl- Latter end of May, and after. Fr. mat. Last of June, and after. 



J£ab. Dry, open woodlands: commop. 1 to 2 feet high: flowers yellow. 



H. scABRUM. Ph. Hirsute; leaves elliptic-obovate, sessile; panicle compact; pedicels divaricate. 



Synon. H. marianum. Willd. Muhl- Ell- 



Fl- Middle of August, and after. Fr. map Latter end of Septen^ber. 



Hab- Woodlands: Patton's &;c. frequent. I to 2 feet high: flowers yellow. 



H. GRONOvii. Ell. Leaves oblanceolate, long-haired; stem naked above; peduncles glandular-pilose- 

 Fl. Middle of August, and after. Fr. mat. Latter end of September. 



Hab. Woodlands; and sterile meadow banks: frequent. Ig to 3 feet high: flowers yellow. 



H- PANICULA.TUM. ZJ^/.^Glabrous; stems leafy, paniculate; pedicels slender; leaves lanceolate, denticulate.- 

 J'V. Middle of August, and after. /V. ma?. Last of September. 



Hab- Woodlands, and old meadows: frequent. 2 to 3 feet high: flowers yellow, smallish. 



B. Florets all tubular, a. Flowers capitate. 



282. LIATRIS. Nxdt. Gen. 639. 

 ['A name of uncertain origin.] 



Cal. oblong, imbricate. Papjiuspersistent, plumose, colored. iSfcd pubescent, obconic. Becepf. naked. 

 L. spicata. eh. Leaves lance-linear, acute; spike long; flowers sessile; calyx scales oblong, obtuse. 

 Synon. L. macrostachya. Mx- Ph. Vulgo— B\\ie Blazing Star. Button Snake-root. 



Fl. Beginning of August. Fr. mat. Last of September. 



Hab. Borders of moist woodlands: Bath, &c- frequent. 2 to 5 feet high: flowers purple. 



Ohs. This handsome plant is a popular medicine; the infusion and tincture, of the root, being often used 

 sa cases of chronic debility, rheumatism, &c. How efficacious it may be, I know not. 



283. VERNQNIA. Nutt, Gen. 640. 

 [In honor of IVilliam Vernon; an English Botaijist.] 

 Cal. cvate, imbricate. Papjjus double; the outer chaffy, short, the inner pilose. Ilecept. subcellular 

 V. NOVEBORACENsis. Ell. Leaves long-lanceolatc, ticabrous; calyx scales filiform at apex. 

 FM?g-o— Iron weed. 



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



Hab. Meadows, and low grounds: common. 3 to6 feet high: flowers deep purple. 



Obs- A well known, obnoxious weed in our meadows; which neat farmers are careful to eradicate. 



v. PR^ALTA. Ph. Leaves oval-lanceolate, pubescent beneath; calyx scales ovate, acuminate. 



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



Hab- Woodlands, thickets, and low grounds: frequent. 4 to 7 feet high: flowers deep purple. 



Obs- This so closely resembles the preceding, that I am .'sometimes ready to doubt wbctlier they are spe- 

 eifically distinct. ...... 



