5o^ THE THISTLE FAMILY. 



base into petioles; the upper ones ovate or oval, sessile, blunt at the apex, remotely 

 toothed, three to five veined ; fleshy ; slightly glaucous. Stems: two to three feet 

 high ; smooth ; dark reddish. 



Because its foliage when withered exhales a scent something like that of 

 vanilla beans, we often see this plant hung up in the cabins of negroes, and 

 also in the palmetto-thatched cottages of many white people throughout the 

 lower district. All seem to regard it with favour and also make it into bit- 

 ters to take when prostrated by fever. But it is in the flavouring of fine-cut 

 tobacco that it finds its greatest usefulness. For this purpose the plant is 

 gathered in enormous quantities. Although again and again assured of the 

 likeness by the natives, it was rather a strain on my imagination to see that, 

 more than many others, its thick leaves resembled the tongue of either a 

 deer or a hound. 



T. pafiiculdta, hairy trilisa, differs principally from the hound's tongue, 

 with which it is found growing through many a flat pine-barren, in having 

 an intensely viscid and pubescent stem. Its lower entire leaves are lanceo- 

 late, or oblong-ovate, as are the upper smaller and sessile ones, while the 

 flower-heads, which greatly resemble those of the companion species, form 

 often a narrow and dense panicle. From their similarity to some species 

 of blazing stars it would be quite excusable to confuse either of these plants 

 with certain Lacinarias. 



Carphephoriis corymbosus. {Plate CLX VII.) 



Flo7ver-heads: abundant, growing on pubescent peduncles in a terminal close 

 corymb. Involucre: bell-shaped, the pale-green rounded bracts membranous and 

 rounded on the edges. Corolla : tubular, with five short ovate teeth. Style- 

 branches: elongated. Leaves: alternate, those about the base tufted ; oblanceolate, 

 blunt, or rounded, at the apex; those on the stem oblong or oval, sessile, rounded 

 at the apex and pointed upward; entire; fleshy; smooth. Stem: two to four feet 

 high ; erect ; simple, very pubescent ; leafy. 



Little that grows through the swamps and sandy, wet barrens in the 

 autumn is more beautiful than these large, fluffy clusters of softly coloured 

 flowers, with their velvety, pale apple-green and up-pointed leaves. The 

 exquisite rosette of leaves at the plant's base, however, makes no great show. 

 It must usually be sought for, as it is well hidden by tall grasses. In the 

 Floridan swamps we saw much of the plant ; but through the low-lying, wet 

 ground along the Talleyrand road which leads out from Jacksonville, it 

 appeared in great abundance and was most lovely. On each of the bunches 

 we gathered there was one to strike terror to the very soul ; a great spider, 

 of brassy yellow hue and with a round fat body. 



