PLATE ‘CCCCI. 
SERRATULA SPICATA. 
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Sprked-flowered Saw-wort. 
CiASS XIX. ORDER I: 
SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA ZQUALIS. Tips united. qual Polygamy. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Caxyx subcylindricus, imbricatus, muticus, | EMPALEMENT nearly cylindrical, imbricated, 
: without awns. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &c. 
’ SeRRATULA, foliis linearibus, basi ciliatis, flo- | SERRATULA, with linear leaves, ciliated at the 
ribus sessiJibus lateralibus spicatis, caule base, sessile lateral spiked flowers, and a 
simplici. Gmel. Syst. Nat. 2. 1185.—Ait. | simple stem. 
Hort. Kew.3. 138. 
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 
1. A radical leaf. 
2. The empalement spread open. 
3. A floret. 
_ 4, The same, cut open. 
5. The seed-bud and pointal. 
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Tue Serratula spicata is a native of Carolina ; but has been cultivated in the gardens of this country 
ever since the year 1732; notwithstanding which it is by no means a — plant in collections ; 
‘which I should conceive arises from its being rather difficult to increase. 
Although a syngenesious plant, its root is of the tuberous kind; which is a peculiarity almost un- 
paralleled in that extensive class. The flowering-stems shoot up late i in spring, and are chiefly simple : 
they rise to the height of one or two feet, furnished with long linear leaves ; the uppermost of which 
are gradually shortened, and they are all more or less ciliated near the base ; but in this respect they 
are either liable to differ very considerably, or there are several varieties (perhaps species) of the plant. 
There is likewise another strikingly singular trait in the character of this Serratula: the flowers com- 
mence opening at the top of the spike first, and continue flowering downwards ; instead of upwards, in 
the usual manner; which is a circumstance I cannot recollect having seen in any other plants; except 
Agave virginica and Allium descendens. Cultivators usually suppose the name of the last-mentioned 
plant to apply to its roots striking deep into the earth: but this we apprehend is an erroneous suppo- 
sition ; for it is clearly allusive to its perverted mode of flowering. 
The spiked-flowered Saw-wort flowers in July, loves a light soil in the open air; and is propagated, 
although slowly, by parting its roots after the stems die down. 
Gmelin queries, and with propriety, in his edition of Systema Nature above cited, whether S. spi- 
cata, and S. squarrosa, (another North American species,) are not generically distinct from the other 
Our drawing was made from plants in the collection of Lady de Clifford, at Paddington. 
