THE THISTLE FAMILY. 521 



the western prairies, where they bloom amid fields of tjrain or gras<;. two <,r 

 three others occur within our range. Noteworthy amonj^ these is 



B. pallida, drooping cone-flower, which has rays longer, and more >„.,.;.( 

 and drooping, than those of its relatives. Its cone of disk flowers is possibly 

 higher and in outline, ovate. The leaves are lanceolate and cniirc. 



SUNFLOWER. {Plate CLXXIII) 

 J I el I ( intJi us long if alius. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Thistle. Deep orange. Scentless. Alabama to {',eorf;it\. S<f>tfmbrr. 



Flo7ver-heads : growing on long, smooth pedicels in corymbose clusters and hav- 

 ing both radiate and tubular flowers enclosed witliiii an involucre of many im- 

 bricated and acutely pointed bracts. Rays: about ten, relatively small ; long olv 

 long, with two or more minute teeth at the apex. Jutsal Itinrs : \y\in:(\, spatulatc, 

 or linear-oblong, blunt at the apex, and tapering at the base into margined petioles. 

 Ste7fi Ifdc'd's : mostly opposite; linear lanceolate, pointed at the apex with long 

 margined jjetioles and becoming sessile and bract-like as they occur among ihc 

 flowers; entire; glabrous. Slem : branching; slender; smooth. 



For a long time but a fragmentary specimen of this rare sunflower, which 

 was preserved in the Gray Herbarium at Harvard, was known to American 

 botanists. Then strangely enough it was simultaneously found by three 

 collectors from Biltmore Herbarium at De Soto Fails, near X'alley Head. 

 Alabama, for one place, and in the Sand Mountain region of that Slate for 

 the other. Since that time it has been well distributed to the principal her- 

 baria of the country. Through its range its preference is to grow near cliffs 

 or rocky glades. In appearance it is delicate for a sunflower and of an in- 

 tense richness of colour. 



While this one is a rarity, there are, as we know, many other species of 

 wild sunflowers turning their heads, as the supposition goes, to follow the 

 sun. The idea has been transmitted through the Greek tradition that they 

 are the embodiment of the water-nymph Clytie, who, grieving intently that 

 Apollo returned not her love, sat on the ground and turned her head to 

 follow the sun's course, until finally she became rooted to the spot and was 

 transformed into the flower. Small wonder that it has since been regarded 

 as an emblem of constancy. 



H. Dowellianus, sunflower, for a long time regarded as a variety of 

 Helianthus occidentalis, is a graceful one of the genus, with a deep red or 

 brown, pubescent stem that adds greatly to its beauty. Its flower-heads 

 grow in a terminal umbel, and their rays are deep yellow. Iancet)laic and 

 often entire. Along the French Broad River in sandy bottoms it is not 

 uncommon. 



H. heterophyllus, both a slender and an attractive species of sunflower, 



