COMPOSITE FAMILY. 231 



(4'-5' long) ; heads of handsome pure white flowers in compound cor- 

 ymbs. Woods, N. 



B. aromaticum, Linn. Like the preceding, commoner S., and only 

 near the coast ; more slender, usually less smooth, with thicker leaves 

 more bluntly toothed on short petioles ; the corymbs usually less com- 

 pound. 



2. Eeceptacle hemispherical or conical ; scales nearly equal, only slightly 

 imbricated. 



E. ccelestlnum, Linn. l-2 high ; leaves triangular-ovate or slightly 

 heart-shaped, coarsely toothed ; corymb flat ; heads small, of blue- purple 

 flowers, in autumn. N. J., W. and S. 



7. KUHNIA. (For Dr. Adam Kuhn of Penn.) 



K. eupatorioldes, Linn. A rather homely herb, 2-3 high, with 

 lanceolate leaves, and panicled or corymbed small heads of creamy 

 flowers. N. J. to Minn, and S. 2/ 



8. LIATRIS, BUTTON SNAKEROOT or BLAZING STAR. (An 



unexplained name.) Chiefly in sandy soil. Flowers late summer and 

 autumn. Root tuberous or corm-like. ^ 



, differing in fibrous root, not plumose pappus, little imbricated 

 involucre, and more or less panicled heads, has two species from Va., S. 



* Bristles of the pappus plainly plumose to the naked eye. 

 -i- Heads small, only 4-5-flowered. 



L. dlegans, Willd. Often hairy or downy, 2 high, with compact 

 spike ; short lanceolate or linear leaves ; scales of involucre with spread- 

 ing, rose-purple tips. Va., S. 



-i- -i- Heads large and fewer, cylindrical, many-flowered. 



L. squarrdsa, Willd. COMMON BLAZING STAR. l-5 high ; leaves 

 linear ; heads few, about 1' long ; scales of involucre with spreading leaf- 

 like tips. Penn., S. and W. 



L. cylindracea, Michx. Smaller than the preceding, 6'-18' high, the 

 narrow heads with short and rounded appressed tips. W. N. Y., W. 



* * Bristles of the pappus not plainly plumose to the naked eye. 

 -t- Heads 3Q-4Q-flowered, commonly an inch broad. 



L. scari6sa, Willd. Stem stout, 2-5 high ; leaves lanceolate, or the 

 lower spatulate-oblong ; scales of the involucre very numerous, with 

 rounded tips, often scarious or purple on the margins. N. Eng., W. 

 and S. 



t- -t- Heads 3-15-flowered, from %'-%' long ; stem 2-5 high. 



L. pycnostachya, Michx. Leaves linear or lance-linear ; spike very 

 dense of about 5-flowered heads ; scales of the involucre with recurving 

 .purplish tips. Prairies, W. 



L. spicata, Willd. The commonest species, in low grounds ; heads 

 8-12-flowered, crowded h?. a long spike, the. oblong and blunt scales of 

 involucre without any obvious tips. 



L. graminif61ia, Willd. Heads 7-12-flowered in a looser spike or 

 raceme ; the rigid appressed scales bhmt or slightly pointed. Wet pine 

 barrens from N. J., S. 



L. gracilis, Pursh. Leases spreading, the lower lance-oblong and 

 Jong-petioled, the others linear and short; heads 3-7-flowered, small. 



