AND GENERA OF PLANTS. 355 



abruptly acuminate, subserrate; upper ones broad ovate, amplexicaule; stem 

 one or few-flowered; peduncle very long, sulcate; rays reflected, numerous, 

 (fifteen to twenty;) disk columnar. 



Hab. On the open plains of Red River, near the confluence of the Kiamesha. Flowering in 

 June. A gigantic plant, growing in extensive masses, with large, glaucous, somewhat coriaceous 

 leaves, but little inferior in size to those of the Cabbage, in its wild state. Leaves somewhat oval, 

 three to four inches wide, except the upper ones, which diminish to a quarter part the size of the 

 lower ones : its whole aspect and clasping leaves appear very similar to that of Dracopis. Six to 

 nine feet high ! and all the parts (the flower not excepted) of the same gigantic dimensions, al- 

 though growing in a poor and exhausted soil. Rays oblong, nearly entire ; discal column one and 

 a half to two inches long, three-fourths of an inch wide. Paleae oblong, sheathing. Leaves of the 

 involucrum in nearly a simple series, foliaceous. 



Rudheckia glohosa, Nutt. in Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., Vol. VII., p. 

 79, is Oheliscaria Tagetes of Decandolle. RudbecMa Tagetes, James, which 

 name has the priority. — Obeltscaria appears to be almost a mere section of 

 Rudbeckia. The 0. pinnata is indeed closely related to RudbecMa digitata, 

 if, indeed, the latter be any thing more than a variety of J?, ladniata. The 

 distinguishing character of a compressed achenium is merely comparative, and 

 glides insensibly into the unequal quadrangular one. 



§ * AKOSMiA.f — -Rays wanting ; pappus a minute^ crenate cup; receptacle elevated, 



conic. 



Rudbeckia *occidentalis; smooth and robust; leaves ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, entire, or repandly toothed, sometimes irregularly lobed, scabrous on the 

 margin, three-nerved; uppermost sessile, lanceolate, entire; flowers few, long 

 pedunculate, without rays; disk conic; sepals lanceolate, acuminate, in nearly 

 a single series. 



Hab. Rocky Mountains and woods of the Oregon, particularly in the Blue Mountain range, by 

 small streams. Allied to R. laciniuta, of which it has almost the achenium and paleae. About 

 three feet high. Leaves four to six inches long, much acuminated, the upper sometimes irregu- 

 larly two-lobed, two to three inches wide, attenuated below, but sessile. Disk dark purple; paleae 

 linear, sheathing, somewhat obtuse ; achenium quadrangular. The only western species we have 

 seen. 



t From axosfioi, without ornament; in allusion to the want of rays. 



