White and Greenish 



head only about % in. across, composed of 8 to 15 ray flowers, 

 drooping from a cup-like involucre consisting of 8 principal, 

 colored bracts. Stem : 2 to 5 ft. high, smooth, green or dark 

 purplish red, leafy, from a tuberous, bitter root. Leaves: 

 Alternate, variable, sometimes very large, broad, hastate, 

 ovate, or heart-shaped, wavy-toothed, lobed, or palmately 

 cleft ; upper leaves smaller, lance-shaped, entire. 



Preferred Habitat Woods ; rich, moist borders ; roadsides. 



Flowering Season August September. 



Distribution Southern Canada to Georgia and Kentucky. 



Nodding in graceful, open clusters from the top of a shining 

 colored stalk, the inconspicuous little bell-like flowers of this 

 common plant spread their rays to release the branching styles for 

 contact with pollen-laden visitors. These styles presently become 

 a bunch of cinnamon-colored hairs, a seed-tassel resembling a 

 sable paint brush the principal feature that distinguishes this spe- 

 cies from the smaller-flowered Tall White Lettuce (N. altissimus), 

 whose pappus is a light straw color. Both these plants are most 

 easily recognized when their fluffy, plumed seeds are waiting for a 

 stiff breeze to waft them to fresh colonizing ground. 



Boneset; Common Thoroughwort; Ague- 

 weed ; Indian Sage 



(Eupatorium perfoliatum) Thistle family 



Flower-heads Composite, the numerous, small, dull, white heads 

 of tubular florets only, crowded in a scaly involucre and 

 borne in spreading, flat-topped terminal cymes. Stem : Stout, 

 tall, branching above, hairy, leafy. Leaves : Opposite, often 

 united at their bases, or clasping, lance-shaped, saw-edged, 

 wrinkled. 



Preferred Habitat Wet ground, low meadows, roadsides. 



Flowering Season July September. 



Distribution From the Gulf States north to Nebraska, Manitoba, 

 and New Brunswick. 



Frequently, in just such situations as its sister the Joe-Pye 

 weed selects (p. 148), and with similar intent, theboneset spreads 

 its soft, leaden-white bloom ; but it will be noticed that the but- 

 terflies, which love color, especially deep pinks and magenta, let 

 this plant alone, whereas beetles, that do not find the butterfly's 

 favorite, fragrant Joe-Pye weed at all to their liking, prefer these 

 dull, odorous flowers. Many flies, wasps, and bees also, get 

 generous entertainment in these tiny florets, where they feast 



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