348 ORDER LXVIII. COMPOSITE. 



1. P. procum'bens, (L.) Stem procumbent, furrowed, dichotomously 

 branched. Leaves sessile, linear, opposite, connected by a stipular mem- 

 brane. Flowers terminal, and in the divisions of the branches sessile, 

 2 — 4 leafy bracts at the base of the calyx ; segments of the calyx sub- 

 ulate, serrulate. /Seed angular. — White. If. May — Sept. Very com- 

 mon. 6 — 12 inches. 



Order LXVIL— VALERIANATES. 



Calyx a border, 3 — 4-toothed, or pappus-like. Corolla tu- 

 bular, rather irregular, with the border 5-parted, inserted on the 

 top of the ovary, slightly calcarate at the base. Stamens 1 — 5, 

 but usually 3. Style 1. Ovary 1 — 3 -celled, with only 1 fertile ; 

 ovule suspended. Fruit dry, indehiscent, with two empty cells, 

 and one with a single seed. Herbaceous, rather succulent plants, 

 with opposite, or whorled leaves. Flowers in crowded corymbs. 



Genus I.— FE'DIA. Moench. 3—1. 

 (From pheido, harmlessness; others from fed us, a kid.) 



Genus same as the Order. 



1. F. kadia'ta, (L.) Stem erect, winged or furrowed by the decur- 

 rent leaves and midribs, pubescent on the angles and wings. Leaves 

 opposite ; lower ones somewhat spatulate, upper ones sessile, broad- 

 lanceolate, rather obtuse, finely ciliate, irregularly dentate, sometimes 

 nearly panduriform. Flowers terminal ; in dichotomous corymb?, with 

 a flower in each division, crowded, each corymb having the appearance 

 of only 4 flowers, with a several-leaved involucre; corolla slightly ir- 

 regular at the summit, slightly calcarate near the base. — White. 

 March — May. On the Ocmulgee above Macon. 10 — 15 inches. 



Order LXVIII.— COMPOSITE 



Calyx united to the ovary, with the limb either wanting, or 

 membranous, or divided into hair-like segments called pappus. 

 Corolla ligulate, or tubular. Stamens 5, alternate with ( the 

 teeth of the corolla. Anthers cohering into a cylinder. Ovary 

 inferior, 1-celled. Style simple. Stigmas 2, distinct or united. 

 Fruit an indehiscent dry pericarp, crowned with the limb of the 

 calyx. Seeds solitary, erect; albumen none. Flowers collected 

 into dense heads, surrounded by an involucre. 



The obvious characteristics of this order are its compound flowers, and 

 the union of the anthers. Herbs or shrubs. Leaves without stipules. 



ANALYSIS. 



L Flowers of the disk tubular 2 



Flowers bilabiate Chaptalia, 82 



Flowers ligulate 77 



!. Heads radiate 8 



Heads discoid 50 



8. Flowers yellow 4 



Floworn not yellow ... ... ., 87 



