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 



{EitpatoriiiDi perfoliatitni) 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. 



Prefenrd Habitat — Wet ground, low meadows, roadsides. 



Flowering Season — ^J uly — 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, the boneset 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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