286 ASTER FAMILY 



Melam podium Linne 1753 

 (Gr. a i el as, black, podion, little foot) 

 Heads with white pistillate ray-flowers, disk-flowers yellow, perfect, 

 achenes obovoid, somewhat curved, pappus none; receptacle convex or 

 conic, with chart, involucre hemispheric, bracts in 2 rows, 4-5 outer broad, 

 the inner hooded, more or less embracing the ray-flowers ; heads solitary ; 

 leaves opposite, mostly entire ; perennial. 

 Stems 4-12 in. high; leaves linear to spatulate, 1-2 in. 



long; rays 5-9, 2-3-lobed M. cinereum 



Nothocalais Greene 1886 False Dandelion 

 (Gr. nothos, false; Calais) 



Heads with yellow perfect strap-flowers, achenes spindle-shaped, nar- 

 rowed above, 10-ribbed, pappus of 10-30 scales, often with hair-like bristles 

 as well ; receptacle flat, without chaff, involucre bell-shaped, bracts in 2-4 

 rows; heads solitary; leaves basal, entire; perennial. 

 Leaves fence-linear, 4-8 in. long; heads 1-2 in. wide N. cuspiddta 



Oxytenia Nuttall 1848 

 (Gr. oxytenes, pointed, from the rigid leaves) 

 Heads without rays, pistillate flowers about 5, without corolla, stam- 

 inate flowers 10-20, achenes obovate, hairy, pappus none or a single scale; 

 receptacle convex, with chaff, involucral bracts about 5, long-pointed; heads 

 in dense panicles ; leaves alternate, 3-5-parted into narrow divisions ; shrub- 

 by perennial. 

 Stems 3-6 ft. high, sometimes leafless ; leaves 4-6 in. 



long; heads 4 mm. high O.acerosa 



Parthenice Gray 1853 

 (Gr. parthenice, virgin) 

 Heads without rays or the latter inconspicuous, pistillate flowers 6-8, 

 staminate flowers 40-50, achenes oblong-obovate, falling away, enclosed by 

 bracts, pappus none ; receptacle convex, with chaff around the outer series 

 of staminate flowers, involucre of 5 greenish outer bracts and 6-8 large 

 roundish, papery inner ones ; heads in panicles ; leaves alternate, simple ; 

 annual. 

 Stems 3-6 ft. high; leaves ovate, 6-12 in. long; heads 



greenish-white, 4 mm. wide P. mollis 



Pectis Linne 1753 

 (Lat. pecten, comb, from the pappus) 

 Heads with yellow pistillate ray-flowers, disk-flowers yellow, perfect, 

 achenes linear, striate, pappus of 4-6 somewhat united short scales, often 



