WEEDS OE THE THISTLE FAMILY. 



157 



Common along fence-rows, borders of thickets, streams and 

 lakes, especially in low moist grounds. July-Oct. The tall stem, 



whorled leaves and handsome heads 

 of flowers make it one of the most 

 conspicuous of our Composite. Both 

 it and all the other bonesets may be 

 distinguished from the iron-weeds 

 by the pappus which is made up of 

 a single row of rough, hair-like 

 bristles, while in the iron-weeds the 

 pappus is double, the inner row be- 

 ing of bristles and the outer of short 

 scales. The purple boneset is not 

 an aggressive weed, being seldom 

 found in open pastures, and can be 

 easily killed out by frequent mow 

 ing or deep cutting. 



perfoijatum L. Common Thorough wort. Boneset. 



Fig. 115, Single flower on left; head of flowers 

 on right. (After Brittqn and Brown.) 



120. Eotatorium 

 (P. N. 3.) 



Stem stout/ hairy, branched above, 2-5 feet high; leaves opposite, 

 united at base and surrounding the stem, horizontal or half erect, lance- 

 olate, long-pointed, finely toothed. Heads, 

 crowded in a flat-topped cluster, 10-16 

 flowered ; involucre bell-shaped, the bracts 

 lanceolate, pointed, in 2 or 3 overlapping 

 rows; flowers white, rarely bluish. (Fig. 

 116.) 



Very common in low moist mead- 

 ows, along ditches, borders of streams, 

 lakes, etc. July-Sept. A well known 

 weed, much used in the country as 

 a remedy for fever and ague, whence 

 the names "feverwort" and "ague- 

 weed" by which it is sometimes 

 known ; also for colds, dyspepsia and 

 as a tonic. The leaves and flowering 

 tops are the parts used, and if gath- 

 ered for sale should be stripped from, 

 the stalk when the latter is in flower 

 and carefully dried. They bring from 2 to 8 cents per pound. 

 When their infusion is taken in large doses it acts as an emetic 

 and cathartic. When too abundant, the boneset can be killed out 

 by drainage, frequent mowing, or thorough cultivation,. 



Fig. 116. 



ti, mature head: 6, fruit with pap* 

 puH. (After Wataon.J 



