CLASS XIX. ORDER I. 305 



in the season. They are more or less triangular or halberd 

 shaped, and lobed or toothed. The leaves of the stem are more 

 regularly ovate and toothed, the upper ones lanceolate. The 

 stem is commonly of a dark reddish color, three or four feet 

 high. Flowers panicled, drooping ; calyx white, containing ten 

 or a dozen florets, surrounded with a dull reddish 'down. — 

 Woods, low land, &c. — Perennial. — The root is intensely bitter. 



Variety /?. nana. From four to fifteen inches high. Leaves 

 successively three parted, hastate, ovate and lanceolate; in the 

 smallest plants all simple. Racemes panicled or simple. Calyx 

 ten or twelve flowered. — On the upper region of the White 

 mountains.— August. — Mr. Little. 



No genus is more prone to vary than this. It is highly pro- 

 bable that many of the species described by Pursh are only vari- 

 eties. 



326. LACTUCA. 

 Lactuca elongata. Miilil. Tall Lettuce. 



Leaves smooth, the lower ones runcinate, clasping; 

 the upper ones lanceolate, sessile; flowers panicled. 



This plant, I am informed, sometimes appears in great abun- 

 dance on grounds which are newly burnt over, and on this ac- 

 count it has received the name of Fire iveed in some parts of the 

 interior. The whole plant is lactescent. Stem erect, four or 

 five feet high. Lower leaves long, spreading, runcinate, clasp- 

 ing the stem. Upper leaves sessile. The stem terminates in a 

 large, spreading panicle of yellow flowers, which remain ex- 

 panded but a short time. — July, August. 



Variety ^. linearis. When the top of the plant is destroyed 

 by accident, young branches shoot up with entire linear leaves, 

 appearing like a diflerent species. 



* Lactuca integrifolia. Arroto leaved Lettuce. 



L. fcUis sagilkills, integrisy inermibns^ atrijilexicau- 

 Ubus ; floribiis jmniailatis. 



Leaves sagittate, entire, unarmed, clasping ; flowers 

 panicled. 



26^ 



