Nabalus. COMPOSITiE. 417 



4. Nab ALUS nanus, DC. Dvcarf Nabalus. 



Smooth ; stem simple (low); leaves on slender petioles, varying from undivided and angular 

 or toothed, to hastately or palmately 3-lobed or 3-parted ; heads clustered, forming a strict 

 racemose panicle ; involucre (blackish green) 10 - 13-flowered ; inner scales about 8, rather 

 obtuse ; the calyculate scales very short, triangular-ovate, appressed ; pappus dark stravy- 

 color. — DC. prodr. 7. p. 241 ; Torr. ^ Gr.fi. N. Am. 2. p. 482. Prenanthes alba, var. 

 nana, Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 286 ; Torr. compend. p. 277 (partly). Harpalyce alba, /3. Beck, 

 hot. p. 167. 



Stem 5-12 inches high, smooth. Lov?er leaves usually 3-parted or hastately 3-lobed, 

 the segments entire or 2 - 3-cleft ; the middle and higher ones 3-lobed, with the segments 

 lanceolate or oblong and commonly entire, sometimes hastate-triangular ; the uppermost often 

 undivided. Sometimes all the leaves are undivided and hastate, or angular and toothed. 

 Heads nodding, in axillary and terminal clusters forming a close raceme. Involucre slightly 

 hairy at the tips ; the interior scales 4-5 times longer than the calyculate scales at the base. 

 Flowers whitish. 



Summit of Mount Marcy, Essex county. Fl. August. 



5. Nabalus Boottii, DC. Bootts Nahalus. 



Stem simple (low), pubescent at the summit when young ; radical and lowest cauline leaves 

 subcordate or hastate-cordate, obtuse, the middle oblong, the upper lanceolate and mostly 

 entire, all petiolate ; heads in a nearly simple raceme ; involucre (livid) 10 - 18-flowered ; 

 the inner scales 10 - 15, obtuse ; the calyculate scales linear, lax, nearly half the length of 

 the proper involucre ; pappus straw-color. — DC. prodr. 7. p. 241 ; Torr. 6f Gr. fl. N. Am. 

 2. p. 482. Prenanthes alba, var. nana (in part) ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 286. 



Stem 5-8 inches high. Leaves variable as in the preceding species, but not so much 

 divided. Heads slightly nodding. Scales of the involucre very obtuse, pubescent-ciliate at 

 the tips when young. Flowers whitish, "odorous" (Tuckerman). 



Summit of Whiteface mountain, Essex county {Mr. Macrae). Fl. August - September, 

 This species is most readily distinguished from the preceding, with which it was once con- 

 founded, by the narrow loose and elongated calyculate scales of the involucre. 



51. TARAXACUM. Haller ; DC. prodr.7. p. lid. ' dandelion, 



[From the Greek, tarasso ; in allusion to its medicinal properties.] 

 Heads many-flowered. Involucre double ; the exterior of small scales ; the inner in a single 

 series. Receptacle naked. Achenia oblong, ribbed or angled, muricate on the ribs ; the 

 apex abruptly produced into a long stipe-like beak, which supports the pappus of copious 

 white capillary bristles. — Stemless perennial herbs, with simple fistulous naked scapes. 

 Leaves usually sinuate-toothed, or runcinate. Head solitary, large. Flowers yellow. 

 [Flora.] 53 



