Genus 8.] 



THISTLE FAMILY. 



317 



5. Lacinaria acidota (Engelin. &Gray) Kuntze. Slender Button-Snakeroot. 



(Fig. 3640-) 



Liatris acidota Hngelm. &Gray, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 



218. 1847. 

 Lacinaria acidota Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 34.9. 1891. 



Similar to the preceding species, but usually gla- 

 brous throughout, the rootstock globose", or elonga- 

 ting. Stem 2 high, or less, slender. Leaves narrowly 

 linear, ?4 // - / ^ // wide, or the lower wider, slightly 

 punctate, \'-d/ long, the upper gradually shorter; 

 spike slender, naked, or sparingly leafy at the base, 

 4 / -io / long; heads 3-5-flowered, 6 // -c/ / long; involucre 

 narrowly obloug-campanulate, its bracts oblong to 

 ovate-lanceolate, more or less punctate, abruptly or 

 gradually acuminate; glabrous or sparingly ciliate; 

 flowers purple; pappus plumose. 



Prairies, Kansas (and Missouri, according to Bush) to 

 Texas. Aug. -Oct. 



6. Lacinaria pycnostachya (Michx.) 

 Kuntze. Prairie or Hairy Button- 

 Snakeroot. (Fig. 3641.) 



Liatris pycnostachya Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 91. 1803. 

 Lacinaria pycnostachya Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 349. 1891. 



Hirsute-pubescent above, usually glabrous below, 

 2-5 high, very leafy. Lower leaves linear-lanceolate, 

 narrowed below the middle into a slender margined 

 petiole, acuminate at the apex, often i long and )/z f 

 wide, the upper much smaller, linear-subulate, rigid, 

 punctate; spikes very dense, 6 / -i8 / long; heads 4 // -6 // 

 long, 3-6 -flowered; involucre oblong or cylindric, its 

 bracts oblong, pubescent and ciliate with acute, slightly 

 spreading, colored tips; flowers purple; pappus barbel- 

 late or roughened, not plumose. 



On prairies, Illinois and Minnesota to Nebraska, south 

 to Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. Aug.-Sept. 



7. Lacinaria scariosa (L.) Hill. Large Button-Snakeroot. (Fig. 3642.) 



Serratula scariosa L. Sp. PI. 818. 1753. 

 Lacinaria scariosa Hill, Veg. Syst. 4: 49. 1762. 

 Liatris scariosa Willd. Sp. PI. 3: 1635. 1804. 



Finely pubescent, at least above, i-6 

 high. Lower leaves oblanceolate, spatulate 

 or oblong-lanceolate, narrowed into a mar- 

 gined petiole, acute or obtusish at the apex, 

 often i long and 1%' wide; upper leaves 

 linear or linear-lanceolate, acute, or some- 

 times very obtuse, much smaller, all densely 

 punctate; heads hemispheric, yz'-i' broad, 

 l5-45-flowered,on stout peduncles 2 // -2 / long, 

 or sometimes sessile; bracts of the involucre 

 imbricated in 5 or 6 series, spatulate-linear, 

 oblanceolate or obovate, rounded at the apex, 

 appressed, their tips dry and scarious,often col- 

 ored; flowers bluish purple; pappus barbellate. 



In dry soil, Maine to Florida, west to Minne- 

 sota, western Ontario, Manitoba, Nebraska and 

 Texas. Called also Blue Blazing Star, Gay 

 Feather, Rattlesnake-master. Aug.-Sept. 



Lacinaria scariosa squarrulosa (Michx.) Small, Mem. Torr. Club, 4: 12S. 

 Liatris squarrulosa Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 92. 1803. 

 Liatris scariosa var. squarrulosa A. Gray, Syn. Fl. 1: Part 2, no. 1884. 



Head's smaller, 5"-7" broad, turbinate-hemispherie. Dry woods, Virginia to Florida and Texas. 

 Ascends to 3300 ft. in West Virginia. Perhaps a distinct species. 



