414 



COMPOSITAE (COMPOSITE FAMILY) 



FIG. 289. Western Iron- 

 weed (Vernonia fasciculata) . 

 Xi. 



Habitat: Dry prairies; 

 waste places. 



Stems two to six feet tall, erect, 

 smooth, usually simple. Leaves alter- 

 nate, narrow lance-shaped to linear, 

 numerous, ascending, sometimes finely 

 hairy on the upper surface but smooth 

 beneath, sessile, finely toothed. Heads 

 very many, rather small, in a compact 

 cymose cluster, each containing about 

 twenty florets, deep reddish purple; 

 involucre bell-shaped, its bracts closely 

 appressed. Achenes smooth, the pappus 

 purple-tinged. (Fig. 289.) 



Means of control the same as for 

 Tall Ironweed. 



ILLINOIS IRONWEED 



Verndnia illinoensis, Gleason 



Native. Perennial. Propagates by 

 seeds. 



Time of bloom: July to September. 



Seed-time: September to November. 



Range: Ontario to Minnesota, south- 

 ward to Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa. 



meadows and pastures, roadsides, and 



Stem three to six or more feet tall, rather stout, somewhat 

 rough. Leaves large, oblong lance-shaped, finely woolly-hairy 

 above and rough to the touch beneath, sharply toothed. Heads 

 in a densely crowded cymose cluster, many of them sessile or on 

 very short pedicels, rather large, each containing about forty red- 

 dish purple florets ; involucre bell-shaped, its bracts purple- 

 tinged, obtuse, closely appressed. Achenes slightly rough-ribbed, 

 the pappus purplish brown. Both pollen and nectar are plenti- 

 fully supplied by all the Ironweeds, and bumblebees and many 

 species of butterflies are attracted by the flowers, thus assuring 

 their thorough cross-fertilization. 



Means of control the same as for Tall Ironweed. 



