WEEDS OF THE THISTLE FAMILY. 169 



bright yellow with 5-9 rays. (Fig. 10, g.) Both species are too 

 handsome to be called weeds, but if their room is needed they can 

 be easily killed out by repeated mowing or by fertilization and 

 cultivation of the soil. 



136. Buti-iamia gbaminifolia L. Swamp Golden-rod. Bushy or Fra- 



grant Golden-rod. (P. N. 3.) 

 Stem erect, glabrous, much branched, 2-A feet high ; leaves numerous, 

 linear-lanceolate, 3-5 nerved, pointed, the margins and nerves minutely 

 rough-hairy. Heads small, numerous, sessile in a flat-topped terminal 

 cyme or cluster; involucre club-shaped, its bracts oblong, appressed, over- 

 lapping, slightly viscid ; flowers golden-yellow, the rays 12-20, disk-flowers 

 S-12. Achene top-shaped, velvety-hairy. 



Very common in low moist grounds along borders of marshes 

 and streams. July-Oct. From the golden-rods belonging to the 

 genus Solidago this one is now separated by the rays being more 

 numerous than the disk-flowers and by the receptacle being min- 

 utely fringed, not closely pitted as there. The flat-topped flower 

 cluster and narrow leaves also distinguish it from most of the 

 others. It spreads both by long running rootstocks and seeds and, 

 if left undisturbed, soon forms large patches and becomes trouble- 

 some as a weed in damp hay meadows, being the most common of 

 all golden-rods in low grounds. Since the roots are near the surface 

 it can be easily destroyed by cultivation or shallow plowing and 

 also by repeated mowings. 



137. Inula helenium L. Elecampane. Horseheal. (P. I. 3.) 



Stems stout, tufted from large thick roots, simple or few branched, 

 densely hairy above, 2-6 feet high ; basal leaves broadly oblong, 10-20 

 inches long, 4-8 inches wide, long-stalked, rough 

 above, woolly beneath; stem leaves smaller, 

 ovate, alternate, sessile or clasping, pointed. 

 Heads few or solitary, terminal, 2-4 inches 

 broad ; involucre saucer-shaped the bracts over- 

 lapping in several rows, the outer ones ovate, 

 leaf -like ; flowers yellow ; rays numerous, linear, 

 3-toothed. Achenes 4-sided, i inch long, glab- 

 rous ; pappus of rough, hair-like bristles. (Pig. 

 12S.) 



Frequent in old fields, rich open wood- 

 lands, along roadsides and about old dwell- 

 ings. June-Sept. Elecampane is a large, un- 

 gainly rough looking weed which was for- 



Fig. 128. (After Millspaugh.) ^^ ^^ for ornament or f or medicine 



and has escaped in many places. It hag been in use as a medicine 



