420 COMPOSITE. MuLGEDiuM. 



& 2. Agalma, DC. Pappus tawny : corolla light blue or cream-colored. 



2. MuLGEDiuM LEUCOPH^UM, DC. Tall Mulgedium. 



Sraoothish ; stem tall, very leafy, stout ; leaves somewhat runcinate-pinnatifid, coarsely 

 and unequally toothed, usually hairy on the veins underneath ; heads in a large rather open 

 compound panicle ; peduncles racemose, bracteolate ; achenia slightly beaked. — DC. prodr. 

 7. p. 250 ; Torr. <^ Gr.fl. N. Am. 2. p. 499. Sonchus alpinus, Linn, (the character only); 

 Smith, ic.pl. rar. t. 21. S. Canadensis, Linn, (as to the habitat). S. spicatus, Lam. S. 

 leucophaeus, Willd. sp. 3 p. 1520; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 501. S. acuminatus, Bigel. jl. Bost. 

 p. 290. S. Floridanus, Ait.; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 445 ; not of Linn. S. pallidus, Torr, 

 compend. p. 279. Agathyrsus leucophaeus, D. Don; Beck, hot. p. 170. 



Biennial. Stem 3-10 feet high, smooth or slightly hairy, paniculate at the summit. Leaves 

 large, rather thin, irregularly more or less deeply lobed ; the uppermost ones often entire ; 

 lower ones narrowed at the base. Heads about half an inch long, numerous, in an elongated 

 panicle ; the peduncles clothed with a few lanceolate bracteoles. Flowers bluish white or 

 cream-color^ changing to dull blue. Achenia strongly ribbed. 



Thickets, along fences, etc. ; common on Long Island ; rare in the interior of the State. 

 August - September. 



54. SONCHUS. Linn.; DC. prodr. 7. p. 184. sow-THiSTLE. 



[ Said to be siltered from somphos (Greek), soft ; in allusion to the soft tender stems.] 



Heads many-flowered, swollen at the base. Involucre more or less imbricated. Receptacle 

 naked. Achenia compressed, ribbed, not beaked or contracted at the summit. Pappus of 

 copious very white and fine capillary bristles. — Weed-like, mostly caulescent herbs, with 

 undivided or pinnatifid leaves. Heads often umbellate or corymbose. Flowers yellow. 



1. Sonchus oleraceus, Linn. Common Sow-thistle. 



Annual, smooth, or the branches glandular-hairy near the summit ; stem-leaves runcinate- 

 pinnatifid, or the upper ones undivided, spinulose-toothed, cordate-clasping , the auricles acute 

 or acuminate ; heads umbellate-corymbose , the peduncles and involucre woolly when young, 

 at length nearly smooth ; achenia striate, transversely rugose. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 794 {var 

 laevis); Engl. hot. t. 843 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 289 ; Beck, hot. p. 171 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 445 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 292; Torr. ^ Gr. S. ciliatus, Lam.; DC. prodr. 7. 

 p. 185. 



Stem 2-3 feet high, terete, fistular, brittle, branching. Leaves 2-6 inches long, more 

 or less deeply lobed or sinuate, undulate ; the teeth and segments cuspidate. The corymbose 

 panicle at first contracted, at length rather loose. Peduncles from half an inch to an inch and 

 half long, at first clothed with a loose white down, finally smooth. Heads less than half as 

 large as in the Dandelion. Flowers pale yellow. Achenia beautifully striate-ribbed, and 

 roughened with minute transverse rugae. Pappus very soft and silky. 



Waste grounds, gardens, etc. ; common. Introduced from Europe. August - September. 



