•318 FLORA OF TEXAS. 



65. COMPOSITE FAMILY. Order, Composite. 



Floiuers clustered in a dense head (compound), sur- 

 rounded by an involucre of many bracts (scales), with 5 

 united anthers, and the fruit an achenium; leaves alter- 

 nate, or opposite, exstipulate, simple, yet often much 

 divided ; florets numerous, crowded, sessile on the recep- 

 tacle, with or without pales (chaff); calyx adherent, the 

 limb wanting or divided into bristles, hairs, etc. (pappus) ; 

 corolla tubuhir, of 5 lobes, with a marginal vein, often 

 ligulate or bilabiate ; stamens 5, alternate with the lobes 

 of the corolla; anthers cohering into a tube; ovary 1-celled, 

 with 1 erect ovule; style single, with 2 stigmas at the 

 summit; fruit dry, indehiscent, 1-seeded, often crowned 

 with a pappus. 



(TTie author has folio lued Dr. Chapman^ s analysis of this 

 Order verbatim, finding it easy for the student, clear, and 

 comprehensive.) 



ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 



Sub-order I. Tubuliflorae. Corolla of the perfect 

 flow^ers tubular, equally 5- (rarely 3-4) -lobed. Eay-flowers, 

 when present, ligulate, either pistillate or neutral. 



§1. Heads discoid. 

 * He.ads zcifh thejloicers all inrfect. 



Pappus none. Leaves resinous-dotted. Flowers yellow Flaveiua. 



Pappus bristly or hairy. 

 Flowers j'cllow. 



Receptacle pointed Bigelovia. 



Receptacle flat Nos. 1 and 33 in Solidago. 



Receptacle convex Rugelia. 



Flowers white, hlue, or purple. 

 Receptacle chaffy. 



Leaves opposite. Flowers white Melanthera. 



Leaves alternate. Flowers purple Carphephorus, 



