COMPOSITE. 87 



white and soft, then passing into Crepis. Perennials, commonly with hispid or hirsute, or 

 often glandular pubescence. 

 327. CREPIS. Involucre few-many-flowered, somewhat imbricated, or more commonly a 

 series of equal bracts and some short calyculate ones, sometimes thickened at base after 

 anthesis. Akenes from, columnar to fusiform, 10-20-costate. Pappusof copious white and 

 usually soft capillary bristles. Annuals or perennials. 



b. Flowers from whitish or cream-color to violet or rose-red : involucre narrow, unchanged 

 in age, a series of equal erect bracts, and a few short calyculate ones at base : styles 

 usually long and slender : akenes columnar or linear, or even fusiform, mostly truncate 

 at summit. 



228. PRENANTHES. Heads 5-30-flowered, mostly nodding before or during anthesis. 

 Akenes terete or 4-5-angled, commonly striate, sometimes striately pluricostate, with trun- 

 cate summit. Pappus of copious rather rigid capillary bristles, in the section Nabalus from 

 whitish to ferruginous. Leafy-stemmed perennials, with paniculate or racemiform-thyrsoidly 

 disposed heads : leaves dilated. 



229. LYGODESMIA. Heads 3-12-flowered, erect. Akenes terete, obscurely few-striate 

 or angled, commonly linear or slender-fusiform, in the larger species concave at insertion. 

 Pappus of copious and usually unequal capillary bristles, either soft or rigidulous, from 

 sordid-whitish to white. Stems mostly rush-like and striate, in one species spinescent, and 

 leaves narrow-linear or reduced to scales. Plowers rose-colored. 



++ -H- Beak to the akenes distinct and slender, except in one or two species of Troximon : 

 heads erect before and during anthesis : involucre unchanged in age : akenes oblong or 

 obovate to linear. 



230. TROXIMON. Heads many-flowered, solitary, terminating simple naked scapes. 

 Involucre campanulate or oblong, more or less imbricated. Akenes 10-costate or 10-nerved, 

 smooth, not muricate nor sculptured, with or without a small callus at insertion ; the beak 

 various, or in two species wanting. Pappus white or whitish. Flowers yellow, orange, or 

 rarely purple. 



231. TARAXACUM. Heads many-flowered, solitary, terminating simple and fistulous 

 naked scapes. Involucre campanulate or oblong, a single series of nearly equal narrow 

 bracts, a little connate at base, and several or numerous calyculate bracts at the base. 

 Style-branches slender and nearly filiform, as in most genera. Akenes oblong-obovate to 

 fusiform, 4-5-costate or angled, and usually with some intervening nerves, muricate or 

 spinulose, at least near the summit, which is abruptly contracted into a filiform beak. 

 Pappus soft and capillary, dull white, no woolly ring at its base. Flowers yellow. 



232. PYRRHOPAPPTJS. Heads and involucre nearly of Taraxacum, terminating scapose 

 or leafy stems or branches. Style-branches short, oblong, very obtuse. Akenes oblong or 

 linear-fusiform, about 5-costate or sulcate, muriculate-rugulose or hirsutulous-scabrous, 

 tapering abruptly into a, long filiform beak. Pappus copious, soft and capillary, fulvous or 

 rufous, its base usually surrounded by a soft-villous ring. Flowers yellow. 



233. CHONDRILLA. Heads several-flowered, sessile or short-peduncled on slender 

 branches. Involucre cylindrical, of several linear equal bracts, and some short calyculate 

 ones. Akenes 4-5-angled and with intervening nerves or ribs, muricate toward the 

 summit, which is abruptly produced into a filiform beak. Pappus fine and soft, bright 

 white. Flowers yellow. 



4- h— +- Akenes flattened: pappus of copious fine and soft capillary bristles: leafy- 

 stemmed plants, with more or less paniculate heads. 



234. LACTUCA. Involucre cylindraceous, or in fruit somewhat conoidal, several-many- 

 flowered, either calyculately or more regularly imbricated. Akenes obcompressed, and with 

 a beak or narrowed summit, which is more or less expanded at apex into a pappiferous disk. 

 Pappus of bright white or rarely sordid bristles, falling separately. 



235. SONCHUS. Involucre campanulate or broader, in age usually broadened and fleshy- 

 thickened at base, and becoming conical. Akenes obcompressed, destitute of beak or neck or 

 dilated pappiferous disk. Pappus of very soft and fine flaccid bristlei, which fall more 

 or less in connection, and commonly one or more stronger ones, which fall separately. 



