COMPOSITE FAMILY. 191 



base, the sub-divisions elliptic-oblong, obtuse, entire. Heads numerous, in leafy panicu- 

 late racemes ; florets yellowish. Akenes obconic-oblong, smooth. 

 Gardens : cultivated. Native of Europe. .FZ. August. Fr. Sept. - October. 



Obs. This plant proverbial for its bitterness is generally kept in 

 gardens ; and is valuable for its medicinal properties, as a tonic, vermi- 

 fuge, &c., and is occasionally seen growing spontaneously along roads 

 and lanes. 



Ttere is another species (A. ABROTA'NUM, L.), commonly known by 

 the name of " Southern-wood," or " Old Man," frequent in gardens ; 

 and a fourth (A. VULGA'RIS, L.), called " Mug-wort," is occasionally met 

 with ; but these are of less importance, and scarcely entitled to a place 

 here. 



20. GNAPHA'LIUM, L. CUDWEED. 



[Greek, Gnaphalon, soft down or wool, with which the plants are clothed.] 



Heads many-flowered ; florets all tubular, the outer ones pistillate, very 

 slender, mostly in several series the central ones perfect. Involucre 

 ovoid ; scales imbricated, appressed, scarious or hyaline. Receptacle flat. 

 Akenes subterete. Pappus in a single series, capillary acd scabrous. 

 Herbs mostly woolly or tomentose. Leaves sessile or decurreut. Heads 

 corymbose, glomerate, or spicate. 



1. G. polyceph'alum, MX. Stem herbaceous, erect, paniculately 

 branched ; leaves linear-oblanceolate, acute, sessile and not decurrent, 

 smoothish above, tomentose beneath ; heads numerous, in terminal co- 

 rymbose clusters. 



MANY-HEADED GNAPHALIUM. Life-everlasting. 



Root annual. Stem 1-2 feet high, hoary-tomentose and generally much branched. 

 Leaves 1-3 inches long, somewhat undulate on the margins, green and nearly smooth on 

 the upper surface, whitish and densely tomentose beneath. Hewls rather small, oblong- 

 ovoid, ochroleucous, aggregated in dense terminal clusters, very fragrant. Florets 

 slender, yellowish. Akenes oblong, subterete, smooth. Pappus somewhat tawny. 



Old fields and pastures : Canada to Texas. Fl. Aug. -Sept. Ir. October. 



Obs. This is often quite abundant in old pasture fields ; and although 

 not a pernicious plant, it is altogether valueless to the farmer, and must 

 be regarded as a mere weed. 



21. ERECHTBTTES, Rafin. FIRE-WEED. 



[The ancient Greek name of some species of Groundsels.] 



Heads many-flowered, discoid ; marginal florets pistillate, very slender, 

 2 - 3-toothed, the others perfect, 4 - 5-toothed. Involucre cylindrical, 

 the scales in a single series, linear, acute, bracteolate. Receptacle na- 

 ked, somewhat papillose. Akenes oblong, striate, somewhat attenuated 

 at apex. Pappus copious and smoothish, of very fine capillary bristles 

 in several series. Annual herbs. Heads corymbose. 



