COMPOSITE FAMILY. 189 



1. L. vulga're, Lam. Stem erect,. somewhat branched ; leaves lacini- 

 ately incised or pinnatifid-dentate, the cauline ones sessile and some- 

 what clasping the radical ones obovate-spatulate, petiolate ; scales of 

 the involucre with narrow russet-brown margins. 



COMMON LEUCANTHEMUM. Daisy. Ox-eye Daisy. White-weed. 



Fr. L'oeil de Beuf. Germ. Die Wucherblume. Span. Margarita 

 mayor. 



Stem 1 to near 2 feet high, erect or subdecumbent, angular and striate, somewhat hairy, 

 simple or sparingly branched, but often several from the same root. Leaves 1-2 inches 

 long, the upper stem-leaves oblong, the lower ones cuneate-spatulate, and the radical 

 ones obovate or orbicular-spatulate. Heads broad ; rays very white in length about 

 equal to the diameter of the disk ; disk-fiords yellow. Akenes subterete, ribbed, smooth, 

 dark purple between the ribs, destitute of pappus. Receptacle slightly convex, dotted. 



Fields and meadows, more or less throughout the United States : introduced. Native of 

 Europe. Fl. June -Aug. Fr. July -September. 



065. This vile intruder is becoming a great nuisance in our country. 

 In some districts the careless, slovenly farmers have permitted it to get 

 almost exclusive possession of their pasture fields, rendering them quite 

 white when the plant is in bloom. Cows will occasionally crop a por- 

 tion of the weed in our pastures, and I have heard it alleged that it 

 contributes to the making of good butter : but my own observations 

 induce me to regard it as utterly worthless. It is propagated rapidly, 

 and is, moreover, exceedingly difficult to get rid of, when once fully es- 

 tablished ; so that one negligent sloven may be the source of a grievous 

 annoyance to a whole community. I have understood that annual 

 ploughing and cropping for a few years, is the most effectual remedy for 

 the evil ; but then the fence-rows and neighboring fields must be well 

 watched, to prevent the formation and introduction of fresh seed. The 

 Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum, Z,., a kindred plant) which 

 is said to be such a pest to the agriculture of Europe does not appear 

 to have found its way, as yet, to the United States. 



18. TANACE'TUM, L. TANSY. 



[Corrupted from Athanasia, Gr., a, not, and Tlianatos, death : from its durable flowers.] 



Heads with the florets all perfect, with the marginal ones pistillate in a 

 single series. Scales of the involucre imbricated, dry. Receptacle more 

 or less convex. Akenes angled or ribbed, with a large epigynous disk. 

 Pappus none or minute, coroniform. Perennial herbs, or suffruticose 

 plants. Leaves alternate, dissected. Heads corymbose. 



1. T. vulga're, L. Stem herbaceous, smoothish ; leaves bipinnately 

 parted, the rachis and lobes incised-serrate ; heads heterogamous, num- 

 erous, in a dense fastigiate corymb ; pappus coroniform, of five equal 

 lobes. 



COMMON TANACET:M. Tansy. 

 Fr. Tanaisie. Germ. Der Rainfarn. Span. Tanaceto. 



