COMPOSITJC. (cOMPOSITli FAMILY.) 279 



ing into a margined petiole; involucre (livid) 10 -\8-Jlowcred, of \0- 15 ver^ ob- 

 tuse, jrrnppr sral<:i, and sirpial linear ami loose ixterior ones iieaili/ half the le/)fft/i of 

 the former ; jjiippus straw-color. — Ilijiher alpine suumiits ol' the mounuiius of 

 Maine, New Hampshire, and N. New York. 



6. N. virgatUS, DC. (Sli;nukk Kattli:.snakk-root.) Smooth, slightly- 

 glaucous ; sliin simple (2° -4° high), I'ldlonr/irl into a naked and slender sj'iked 

 raceme (l^°-2° long); heads clustered and mostly unilateral ; leaves lanceolate, 

 acute, closely sessile, the upper reduced to bracts, the lower toothed or pinnati- 

 fid ; ini-olucre (purplish) of about 8 scides, 8 - l2-Jlowered ; pappus straw-color. — 

 Sandy ])ine barrens, New Jersey to Virginia, and southward. 



* * Involucre 12 - -iO-Jlowered, hairy, as well us the peduncles. 



7. N. racem6sus, Llook. Stem wand-like, simjjle (2° -5° high), s»ioo/A, 

 as well as the oval or oblong-lanceolate denticulate leaves ; the lower tapering 

 into winged petioles (rarely cut-pinnatitid,) the upper partly clasping; heads in 

 clusters crowded in a lom/ and narrow interruptedlj/ spiked panicle; involucre about 

 Vl-Jhwertd ; pappus straw-color. — Plains, Ohio to Illinois and northward. 

 Also Iluckensack marshes, New Jersey. — Flowers flesh-color. 



8. N. asper, Torr. & Gr. Stem wand-likc, simple (2°-4°high), rowjh- 

 fubesccnt, as well as the oval-oblong or broadly lanceolate toothed leaves ; lieads 

 (mostly erect) in small clusters disposed in a lomj and narrow comjmund raceme : 

 involucre 12 - \4-Jlowered ; pappus straw-color. — Dry prairies anU barrens, Ohio 

 to Illinois, and .southward.— Flowers larger than No. 7, cream-color. 



9. N. crepidineus, DC. Somewhat smooth ; stem stout (5° -8° high), 

 bearing numerous nodding heads in loose clusters on the conjmlM^e-jwniclcd 

 branches; hares large (G'-l^ long), hroadli/ trianfjular-ovale or halberdfonn, 

 strongly toothed, contracted into winged petioles; involucre 20 - 40-/low<red ; 

 pappus brown. — Kich soil, Ohio to Illinois and southward. — Involucre black- 

 ish ; flowers cream-color. 



79. LYGODESMIA, Don. Lvoodes.mia. 



Ileails and (lowers (3-10) nearly as in Nahalus; the cylindrical involucre 

 more elongated, and the achenia long and slender, tapering at ilie summit. 

 Pappus whiti.sh. — Smooth, often glaucous, low perennials, Avith sin-jc cnvt 

 lic.ids of rose-purple flowers terminating almost leafless or rush-like stems or 

 branches. ( Name composed of \vyos, a twig for wickerwork, and bfo-pos, a bond, 

 from the twiggy or rush-like stems.) 



1. L. jlincea, Don. Stems (1° high) tufted, branched, striate; lower 

 leaves lance-linear, l'-2' long, rigid, the upper awl-shaped and minute; heads 

 5-flowcred. — St. Croi.x liiver, Wisconsin, T. J. Hale, and westward. July. 



80. CHONDRILLA, Tourn. Ciiondkii.la. 



Heads few-flowered. Involucre cylindrical, of several narrow linear equal 

 scales, and a row of small bractlets at the biuse. Achenia terete, sev«!ral-ribl)cd, 

 smooth below, roughened at the sununit by little scaly projections, from among 

 which springs an abrupt slender beak. Pa|>pns of copious very fine and sofk 

 capillary bristles, bright white. — Herbs of the Old World, with wand-liko 



