352 SYNANTHERE^. 



XCV. SYNANTHERE^. 



Mowers in involucrate heads. Calyx-limb abortive. Corolla sympetalous, valvate: 

 Berves sutural, marginal along the lobes. Stamens inserted into the corolla : anthers con- 

 nected. Ovary simple, inferior : ovule 1, erect ; style 2-fid, with collecting hairs. Ache- 

 nium with an exalbuminous embryo. — Leaves mostly exstipulate. 



This Order affords alterative, bitter, or aromatic drugs. Guaco {MUcania) is a reputed 

 antidote against serpents' bite : of this genus M. gonoclada is used in Jamaica (Pd.), M. 

 suaveolens in Trinidad (Sch.). Alterative, and often aromatic principles exist in Pteroeaulon 

 virgatuMy Parthenium Hysterophorus, Ambrosia artemisifoliat and Fyrethrv/m Parthenium ; 

 a bitter one in Neurolana lobata ; and of the resolvent property. Taraxacum is a common 

 example. Eupatorium is usually aromatic : E. villosum, as well as the Chiaco, were medi- 

 cines for cholera, and E. Ayapana is cultivated as a powerful diaphoretic. Clibadium 

 Badieri is poisonous to cattle, and its branches are used for poisoning fish. Cultivated pot- 

 herbs in the West Indies are Spilanthes oleracea and Lactuca sativa. 



Tbibe I. COTiYMBIPERM. — Corolla tubular, or ligulate only in the ray-flowers. 



Series 1. VernoniaeesB. — Htyle-bramches terete, slender, hispidulous all over. Heads 

 discoid, homogamous, cyanic. — Leaves mostly alternate. 



1. SPARGANOPHOKUS, Faill. 



Head discoid. Involucre imbricate. Beceptacle naked. Corolla 3(-4)-fid. Achenium 

 turbinate, 3-5-gonal, crowned with a cartilaginous, spongy, subcrenate cupulc. — ^An an- 

 nual herb ; heads sessile in the axils. 



1. S. Vaillantiij 0. Br. Jam. t. 34. f. 2 ; analyt. — Etbulia sparganophora, L. E. 

 Struthium, Sw. — 1'-2' high, often branched, glabrescent ; leaves variable, elliptical or lan- 

 ceolate, serrate or remotely denticulate ; heads 2"'-3"' diam., whitish, usually several in each 

 axil.— Has. Jamaica !, Pd., Dist., Al., March, in moist situations ; Dominica I, Imr. ; 

 Trinidad !, Cr. ; [Cuba ! and Panama ! to Brazil ! j trop. Africa I]. 



a. OLIGANTHES, Cass. 



Head discoid, l~4-flowered. Involucre cylindrical, imbricate: superior scales longer. 

 Receptacle naked. Corolla 5-fid. Achenium clavate, 10-oostate : pappus scaly or abortive. 

 — ^Trees or shrubs: branchlets tomeniose ; heads m terminal, compound-contracted corymbs, 



2. O. condensata, Schultz Bip. Leaves ovate, acuminate, glabrous, reticulated and 

 pulescent on the primary veins beneath; pedicels shorter than the \-flowered heads; pap- 

 pus 1-serial, of minute, distinct scales, or abortive, much shorter than the glabrous achenium. 

 — Less, in Linnaa, 4./. 39-41 : analyt.- — Adenocyclus, Less. : Sieber's specimen {Trin. 73), 

 vrith a rudimentary, deciduous pappus, while Crueger's form would belong to Odontoloma, 

 which is consequently identical. — A tree, 20'-40' high ; flowers rosy. — ^Hab. Trinidad !, 

 Sieb., Or., in the hills of Eort Seorge ; a large-leaved form, with the pappus as large as the 

 exterior scales in Vernonia ; Chacochacocco, a smaller-leaved form, with a minute pappus. 



3. VERNONIA, Schreb. 



.ffsai^ discoid, many(-l)-flowered. JKtio^Kcre imbricate: superior scales longer. Recep- 

 tacle naked. Corolla 5-fid. Achenium cylindrical or clavate : pappus mostly double ; inner 

 series pilose, exterior usually minute, scaly.— Leaves often glandular ; heads mmlly in 

 terminal, corymbiform cymes; flowers jp«?yZe or blue. 



* Heads single, sessile at the top of leafy branches. (Leptospermoides, BC.) 



3. V. bahamensis, Gr. (». sp.). Shrubby, hoary-velvety with very short appressed 

 down ; leaves obovate-roundish, acute at the base, mucronate, petioled ; heads single, sessile 

 immediately above the uppermost leaves ; involucial scales ovate, acuminate, velvety'; ache- 

 nium hairy : pappus white.— Resembling V. Thoma, Benth., of S. Thomas ; but 'distin- 



