COMPOSITE 



cut-lobed; those of the stem linear are mainly entire; all 

 covered with short, soft hairs, at least on the margins; 

 obtuse or acutish at the apex; petioled. 



THE FLOWER HEADS: very small and very numerous, pan- 

 icled in cylindrical groups at the end of the stem. 



THE FRUIT: achenes; pappus bristles or scales. 



Few, even of the weeds, are so deadly stupid in appear- 

 ance as this, the Horseweed or Hogweed. It is tall, and 

 stiff like the proverbial yard-stick, with small flower-clus- 

 ters that seem to be always undeveloped, because the outer 

 green bracts almost cover the tiny, greenish-white flower 

 heads. These are borne on diverging branches at the top 

 of the stem so that the popular name is very clearly 

 applied when it dubs the plant Colt's Tail. But, as in 

 many other cases already cited, homeliness does not pre- 

 clude value. The plant was formerly used as a tonic, and 

 at the present time a valuable oil which is an ingredient 

 of a "mosquito dope," is distilled from it. 



COMPOSITE COMPOSITE FAMILY 



Erigeron ramosus, (Walt.) BSP 



White, with yellow centre Daisy Fleabane, 



Slender White-top- 

 May-September 



Erigeron: for derivation see canadensis. 

 Ramosus: Latin for branched. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy soil of the Com- 

 mons, neglected grounds. 



THE PLANT: erect, one foot to three feet high; the stem 

 corymbosely branched above, with short, soft hairs. 



THE LEAVES: alternate; those of the stem linear-oblong or 

 linear-lanceolate, the lowest and basal ones spatulate or 



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