THE THISTLK I-AMILV 



;oi 



called blazing stars, and it is because these plants shoot out somewhat like 

 comet-tails that this Knolish name has been given them. Through ihc 

 South they are rather generally looked upon as raiilcsnake-niasicrs. 



L. scaribsa, large button-snakeroot, gay feather, or blue blazl' 

 another and unusually handsome one of this varied genus, produ. .s ,is 

 flowers in rounded, compact and sicnder-pcdunclcd heads quite distant 

 from each other on the stem. The obovate scales of involucres arc rounded 

 at the apex and margined with transparent purple, or while. Aiogg the 

 stems, showing much lanceolate, entire foliage, the inflorescence extends 

 often eighteen inches. The plant itself is known to grr)w fjuile six feet tall. 



L. sqtiarrosa, scaly blazing star, or colic root, may be regarded as rather 

 a small species, it seldom growing over two feet high. At its summit a few 

 large heads of pinkish, crimson flowers are borne, extremely pretty and gav- 

 looking. Of its involucre the lanceolate bracts are spreading, very stiff and 

 pointed almost as sharply as spikes. The leaves are pale green, linear, often 

 narrowly so and also rigid. It is this species, perhaps more than any other, 

 which is sought as a rattlesnake-master. From the globular tubers a 

 decoction is made, " powerful good " to cure snake-bites. 



L. spicata, dense button-snakeroot, backache root, or also called Dcvil's- 

 bite,is known by its small, cylindric and sessile heads of flowers which, how- 

 ever, grow very closely together on the stem, forming thus a long, dense 

 spike. Quite grass-like are its leaves ; the lower ones, linear-lanceolate, 

 clasp the stem at the base and become sometimes a foot long. The plant 

 is also one that grows very tall. When the rattlesnakes are less vicious 

 than their wont, it seems that the decoction made from this plant is held in 

 reserve to cure backache. 



L. Chapmanii, which inhabits dry, sandy spots in Florida, is again a 

 small species at most about two feet high, but usually not taller than twelve 

 inches. Its cylindrical flower-heads are mostly three-flowered, borne close 

 together, forming thus a dense spike, while the leaves of this species arc 

 linear, quite thick about the base of the stem, and gradually decrease in size 

 until they become bract-like among the flowers. 



HOUND'S OR DEER'S TONGUE. VANILLA PLANT. 



T> ' Hi Si I odor at issim < i . 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Thistle. Deep 7>iagc)itii. Foliage fra^^runt. Louisiana ,tti,i Septetni-rr, ihtifhrr, 



Florida to Virginia. 



Flower-hcads: seven or eight growing in elongated and spreading corymlKwe 

 panicles. Im'oliure: of nearly equal, oblong scales, inihi icatc. Coroilti: inhuhir, 

 with five spreading lobes. Styh'-lircim/ics: greatly c.xsei ted. I.t,r,rs : ahcrn.Uc, 

 the lower ones oblanceolate, or oblong, roundeil at the apex and t.»i"""" .'.< »lte 



