Composite jfamil?. 



Early Hawkweed. Hieracium venosum. 



Rattlesnake-weed. 



Found in June in the shade of dry woods, or on barren hilltops 

 and pastures. 



The flower-stem springs from a rosette of foot-leaves; it grows 

 from 1 to 2 feet high, bears but one leaf midway, and is smooth and 

 shining. Of a light gi-een color, with flecks of crimson at the leaf, and 

 near the foot. 



The foot-leaf is large (from 1 to 3 inches long), a long oval with a 

 pointed tip, the midrib is wide, flat, and hairy, the prolonged base, or 

 short stem, is partly clasping ; the margin is entire and fringed with 

 gray hairs, the texture is leathery. In color a dull light green, while 

 the edge, ribs, and underside are red-purple. The single leaf on the 

 flower-stem is long, narrow, and smooth ; of a dull green color. 



The flower is like a ribbon (or " strap-shaped ") with a finely 

 notched tip ; of fine texture, and smooth. The color is a bright Dande- 

 lion yellow. 20 or more of these flowers ai'e arranged in a spreading 

 head, enclosed in a leafy light green cup, whose tips are tawny-red. 

 The heads are set on long, slender stems; which fork from the main 

 stem, with a tiny leaf sitting at the point of junction. 



This jaunty plant, though found in the open, likes also the shade, 

 where yet it never fails to swing its yellow heads out towards the sun- 

 shine. Sometimes the foot-leaves are wanting, and the flower-stem 

 I'ises from the bare ground. 



264 



