466 COMPOSITAE (COMPOSITE FAMILY) 



Seed-time: August to October. 



Range: Minnesota to the Northwest Territory, and southward to 



Missouri and Texas. Locally in the Eastern States. 

 Habitat: Meadows, waste places, fence rows, roadsides. 



When kept within bounds this is a useful plant, which for many 

 years has been extensively cultivated both in this country and in 

 Europe. A fine, clear oil is expressed from its seeds, which are also 

 a very nutritious and fattening food for poultry, horses, and other 

 stock. Its leaves also are considered good fodder. 



In rich soil some of the cultivated forms attain to fifteen feet 

 in height, with flower-heads a foot or more across. But in its native 

 home on the western prairies the stout, rough stem is usually three 

 to eight feet tall, branching at the top. Leaves three inches to a 

 foot in length, broadly oval, pointed, three-ribbed, rough on both 

 sides, with stout, hairy petioles. Heads three to six inches broad, 

 with many large, bright yellow, sterile rays ; disk-florets tubular, 

 five-lobed, dark purple or brown, perfect, and fertile. Involucre 

 depressed with oblong, rough-hairy, and sharp-pointed bracts. 

 Achenes large, oblong, nearly smooth, grayish brown with white 

 marginal stripes, with a deciduous pappus of two to four thin 

 chaffy scales. 



Means of control 



The weed is readily subdued by cultivation of the soil ; but in 

 meadows and other ground where tillage is not practicable, seed de- 

 velopment should be prevented by cutting or pulling the plants while 

 in their first bloom. Plants growing along roadsides, banks of 

 streams, and waste places should have like treatment. 



STIFF SUNFLOWER 



Helidnthus scaberrimus, Ell. 



Native. Perennial. Propagates by seeds. 



Time of bloom: August to September. 



Seed-time : September to October. 



Range : Michigan to the Saskatchewan, and southward to Illinois, 



Colorado, and Texas. 

 Habitat: Meadows, waste places, borders of streams. 



