23C COMPOSITE, (composite family.) 



softhaii-s. — Erect and coarse annuals, of a rank smell, with alternate simpla 

 leaves, and paniculate-corymbed heads of whitish flowers. (The ancient name 

 of some species of Groundsel, probably called after Ereclitheus.) 



1. E. Iiieracirdlia, Baf. (Fieeweed.) Often hairy ; stem grooved; 

 leaves lanceolate or oblong, acute, cut-toothed, sessile ; the upper often with an 

 aurided clasping base. (Senecio hieracifoUus, i.) — Moist woods; common, 

 especially northward, and in recent clearings, where the ground has been burned 

 over ; whence the popular name. July - Sept. — Plant 1 ° - 5° high, with some- 

 what the aspect of a Sow-thistle. 



62. CACALIA, L. Indian Plantain. 



Heads 5 - many-flowered ; the flowers all tubular and perfect. Scales of the 

 involucre in a single row, with a few bractlets at the base. Ecceptacle naked. 

 Corolla deeply 5-cleft. Achenia oblong, smooth. Pappus of numerous capil- 

 lary bristles. — Smooth and tall perennial herbs, with altemate often petioled 

 leaves, and rather large heads in flat corymbs. Flowers white or whitish. {An 

 ancient name, of uncertain meaning.) 



* Involucre 25 - HQ-fiowered, with several bracts at its base ." receptacle Jiat. 



1. C. suaveolens, L. Stem grooved (3° -5° high); leaves triangular- 

 lanceolate, halberd-shaped, pointed, serrate, those of the stem on winged petioles. 

 — Eich woods, Connecticut to Wisconsin and Kentucky. Sept. 



* # Involucre 5-leaved and h-flowered, its bracts minute or none : receptacle bearintj a 

 more or less evident scale-like pointed appendage in the centre. 



2. C. rciiifdrmis, Muhl. (Great Indian Plantain.) Stem (4°- 

 9° high) grooved and angled ; leaves green both sides, dilated fan-shaped, or the low- 

 est Jddnei/-form (l°-2° broad), repand-toothed and angled, palmatcly veined, peti- 

 oled ; the teeth pointed ; corymbs large. — Rich damp woods, Pcnn. to Illinois, 

 and southward along the mountains. Aug. 



3. C. atrfplicifolia, L. (Pale Indian Plantain.) Stem terete 

 (3° -6° high), and with the palmatdy veined and angulate-lobed leaves glaucous; 

 lower leaves triangular-kidney-form or slightly heart-shaped ; the upper rhom- 

 boid or wedge-form, toothed. — Rich woodlands, W. New York to Wisconsin, and 

 southward. Aug. 



4. C. tll"ber6sa, Nutt. (Tubekous Indian Plantain.) Stem angled 

 and grooved (2° -6° high), from a thick or tuberous root; leaves green both sides, 

 thick, strongly 5-7-nerved; the lower lance-ovate or oral, nearly entire, tapering 

 into long petioles; the upper on short margined petioles, sometimes toothed 

 at the apex. — Wet prairies, &c., Ohio to Wisconsin, and southward. June. 



63. SENECIO, L. Groundsel. 



Heads many-flowered ; the flowers all perfect and tubular, or mostly with the 

 marginal ones radiate; the rays pistillate. Scales of the involucre in ii single 

 row, or with a few bractlets at the base. Receptacle flat, naked. Pappns o( 

 numerous veiy soft and slender capillary bristles. — Herbs, in the United States, 



