Xanthium. 153 



large, and obtuse. The flowers and fruits are disposed as in 

 X. strumarium ; but the fruits are generally solitary ; they are 

 half an inch long, nearly cylindrical obtuse, with the two 

 beaks scarcely perceptible and bent in, covered with short, 

 thick, and rough thorns, rather soft, and not uncinate. The 

 whole plant has a peculiar smell, not unpleasant, somewhat 

 between the camphorate and gravulent odour, but weaker 

 than in Conysa camphor ata, &lc. 



History. This plant grows on Long- Island, near the sea- 

 shore and marshes. I have found it conmion near Bath, on 

 the downs, and in New-Jersey, near Bergen, and Powles- 

 Hook, on the margin of marshy meadows. According to Dr. 

 Mulenberg, it grows also in Pennsylvania ; Messrs. Torrey 

 and Leconte found it on the island of New- York ; and by 

 Morison and Decandolle's account, it is found as far north as 

 Canada. It blossoms in August and September, but the fruits 

 remain on the plant till the severe frosts of December. 



Observations. This species differs from the X. macrocarpon 

 of Decandolle, by having smaller fruits, without horns, and 

 whose thorns are neither hooked nor hispid ; by not having 

 an angular stem, but a round, spotted one, and by its leaves 

 being broader, and not serrate, &c. Nearly all those differ- 

 ences exist between it and the X. orientale of Asia, which has 

 not yet been isolated from the X. macrocarpon. The X. edri- 

 naium differs from this by having oval fruits, with aggregated, 

 echinate, and hooked thorns ; and the X. strum/irium, by hav- 

 ing cordate hirsute leaves, the fruits aggregated, with hooked 

 thorns and horned tops. The X. spinosum, and X. fruticosumf 

 ate 60 totally different that they need not be compared. 



Vol. I. ...No. i. M 



