ORDER LXVIII. COMPOSITE. 357 



Flowers in leafy, virgate panicles, -with the branches few-flowered ; in- 

 volucre sessile, secund, 3 — 5-flowered ; scales erect, lanceolate-acute, 

 glabrous. Elliott. 



b. Suffructicose. 



16. L. fructico'sa, (Nutt.) Leaves obovate, glabrous, branching; 

 lower leaves opposite, upper alternate, cuneate, oblong, entire. 

 Branches corymbose, naked toward the summit; involucre campan- 

 ulate, about 5-flowered ; scales imbricate, in about 3 series ; outer 

 shortest. Achenia pubescent. — If. East Florida. 



c. Root a rhizoma. Leaves dilated. 



17. L. panicula'ta^ (Willd.) Stem erect, hairy, viscid, colored, and 

 branching toward the summit. Radical leaves spatulate, lanceolate, 

 dentate, glabrous ; cauline leaves sessile, nerved, ovate-lanceolate, hairy. 

 Flowers in terminal panicles; branches 4 — 6-flowered ; involucre 4 — 5 

 florets, 6— 8-leaved. Corolla viscid. Seeds hairy ; pappus purple. — 

 Purple. If. Sept. — Oct. Pine-barrens. 1—2 feet. 



18. L. odoratis'sima, (Willd.) Stem erect, simple, glabrous, striate, 

 purple. Leaves ovate or lanceolate ; radical ones spatulate, somewhat 

 dentate; cauline ones clasping. Flowers in corymbose panicles; invo- 

 lucre usually with 7 florets, 10— 12-leaved. Leaves appressed, gla- 

 brous. Seeds hairy ; pappus colored. — Purple. 2f. Sept. — Oct. 3 — 

 4 feet. Vanilla-plant. 



The root of the Liatris spicata is said to possess powerful diuretic properties, and 

 is used in the form of a decoction, as a gargle for sore throat. 



The L. scariosn and sguarrosa are said to be an antidote to the poison of the rat- 

 tlesnake, and are u<<ed to cure the bite of this animal : the former is known by our plan- 

 tation negroes as the rattlesnake's master. 



Genus IX.— KUHN'IA. L. 

 (In honor of Adam Kuhn, a pupil of Linnaeus.) 



Involucre cylindrical, imbricate, 10 — 25-flowered ; florets all 

 perfect, tubular. Receptacle naked ; pappus plumose, sessile. 

 Seed pubescent, striate. 



1. K. eupatorioi'des, (L.) Stem glabrous, branching, the young 

 branches very pubescent. Leaves broad-lanceolate, irregularly serrate, 

 petiolate, slightly scabrous on the upper surface, pubescent beneath, 

 spotted. Flowers in panicles, terminal ; involucre about 10-flowered, 

 with linear, pubescent leaves, the outer ones small. Seeds pubescent. — 

 White. If. Sept.— Oct. Middle and Western Geo. and Ala. 2— 3 ft. 



2. K. Critonia, (Ell.) Stem pubescent, slender, striate. Leaves lan- 

 ceolate or linear, petiolate, entire, with the margin revolute when 

 young, dotted beneath. Flowers in terminal, divaricate panicles ; in- 

 volucre imbricate, with 8 — 10 flowers. Leaves linear, pubescent; outer 

 ones reflexed at the summit. Seed cylindrical ; pappus of numerous 

 plumose rays. — White. 2f . Sept, — Oct. In dry soils. Common. 2 

 —3 feet. 



Genus X.— BRICKEL'LIA. E1L 

 (In honor of Dr. Brickell, of Savannah.) 



Heads many-flowered. Involucre campanulate, imbricate. 

 Receptacle naked, flat, or slightly convex. Achenia 10, striate, 



