COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 279 



ing into a margined petiole; involucre (livid) 10 -18 flowered, of 10 -15 very ob- 

 tuse proper scales, and several linear and loose exteiior ones nearly half the length of 

 the former ; pappus straw-color. Higher alpine summits of the mountains of 

 Maine, New Hampshire, and N. New York. 



6. N. virgatus, DC. (SLENDER RATTLESNAKE-ROOT.) Smooth, slightly 

 glaucous; stem simple (2 -4 high), prolonged into a naked and slender spiked 

 raceme (l|-2 long) ; heads clustei'ed and mostly unilateral ; leaves lanceolate, 

 acute, closely sessile, the upper reduced to bracts, the lower toothed or pinnati- 

 fid; involucre (purplish) of about 8 scales, 8- 12 flowered ; pappus straw-color. 

 Sandy pine barrens, New Jersey to Virginia, and southward. 



* * Involucre 12 - 40-flowered, hairy, as well as the peduncles. 



7. N. racembsUS, Hook. Stem wand-like, simple (2 -5 high), smooth, 

 as well as the oval or oblong-lanceolate denticulate leaves ; the lower tapering 

 into winged petioles (rarely cut-pinnatifid,) the upper 'partly clasping; heads in 

 clusters crowded in a long and narrow interruptedly spiked panicle ; involucre about 

 12-flowered ; pappus straw-color. Plains, Ohio to Illinois and northward. 

 Also Hackensack marshes, New Jersey. Flowers flesh-color. 



8. N. asper, Torr. & Gr. Stem wand-like, simple (2 -4 high), rough- 

 pubescent, as well as the oval-oblong or broadly lanceolate toothed leaves ; heads 

 (mostly erect) in small clusters disposed in a long and narrow compound raceme: 

 involucre 12- \\-fiowered; pappus straw-color. Dry prairies and barrens, Ohio 

 to Illinois, and southward. Flowers larger than No. 7, cream-color. 



9. N. crepidineus, DC. Somewhat smooth ; stem stout (5 -8 high), 

 bearing numerous nodding heads in loose clusters on the corymbose-panicled 

 branches; leaves large (6" -12 long), broadly triangular-ovate or halberd-form, 

 strongly toothed, contracted into winged petioles; involucre 20 - 40floivered ; 

 pappus brown. Rich soil, Ohio to Illinois and southward. Involucre black- 

 ish ; flowers cream-color. 



79. LY GO DBS MI A, Don. LYGODESMIA. 



Heads and flowers (5-10) nearly as in Nabalus; the cylindrical involucre 

 more elongated, and the achenia long and slender, tapering at the summit. 

 Pappus whitish. Smooth, often glaucous, low perennials, with single erect 

 heads of rose-purple flowers terminating almost leafless or rush-like stems or 

 branches. (Name composed of Ai/yos, a twig for wickerwork, and SF 07x0?, a bond, 

 from the twiggy or rush-like stems.) 



1. L. jlincea, Don. Stems (1 high) tufted, branched, striate; lower 

 leaves lance-linear, 1 ' - 2' long, rigid, the upper awl-shaped and minute ; heads 

 5-flowered. St. Croix River, Wisconsin, T. J. Hale, and westward. July. 



80. CHONDRILLA, Tourn. CHONDRILLA. 



Heads few-flowered. Involucre cylindrical, of several narrow linear equal 

 scales, and a row of small bractlets at the base. Achenia terete, several-ribbed, 

 smooth below, roughened at the summit by little scaly projections, from among 

 which springs an abrupt slender beak. Pappus of copious very fine and soft 

 capillary bristles, bright white. Herbs of the Old World, with wand-like 



