COMPOSITE FAMILY. Composites. 



Great Ra weed Perha P s tlle tallest member of the Com- 

 Ambrosia posite group, not excepting Lactuca. Stem 



trifida stout, hairy or nearly smooth, and filled 



Green with a frostlike pith ; leaves deeply three- 



^ uly ~ lobed and sharp-pointed, the teeth irregu- 



September 



lar and acute. The insignificant small 



flowers form a terminal, pointed cluster (these are stami- 

 nate), or spring from between the opposite-growing 

 leaves and the stem (these are usually pistillate). Wil- 

 liam Hamilton Gibson records a ragweed 18 feet 4 inches 

 long. Common in moist soil, occasional in Vt. and N. H. 

 A common weed with remarkably orna- 

 Roman Worm- j^n^ cu t leaves resembling those of 

 Hogweed Artemisia (Composite Family). An an- 



Ambrosia arte- nual with a much-branched, fine-hairy 

 misicefolia stem and thin, lifeless lightgreen, dissected 

 leaves. The slender spikes of the green 

 September staminate flowers are numerous and some- 

 what decorative. The tiny fruit is fur- 

 nished with 6 short acute spines. 1-5 feet high. 

 Troublesome in door-yards and gardens, everywhere. 

 o Like the sunflower, with perfect ray- 



Heliopsis laevis an d disc-flowers, the 10 straplike rays 

 Yellow rather showy ; the stem and leaves smooth, 



August- the latter deep green, broad lance-shaped, 



three-ribbed, and toothed, growing oppo- 

 sitely. 3-5 feet high. In copses. N. Y. , south, west to 111. 

 Heliopsis -^ similar species, but distinguished by 



scabm its rough stem and leaves, which are less 



June- narrowly pointed, and its somewhat larger 



September flowers . 2 -4 feet high. Me., N. J. to 111. 

 A showy western species with handsome 

 Black Sampson fl owers whose light or deep magenta petals 

 Conelflower gracefully droop and are two-toothed at 

 Echinacea the tip. The disc is madder purple, its 

 purpurea florets are perfect ; the ray-flowers are pis- 



Magenta tillate but st erile. The five-ribbed, deep 



September green lower leaves are rough, sharply 

 toothed, and pointed ovate; the upper ones 

 are stemless and toothless. Stem smooth or slightly hairy. 

 2-3 feet high. Rich soil, N. Y. , 111. , Mich., south to Tex. 

 506 



