90 



BORAGINACEiE. 



EcHINOSPERMTJM. 



10. ECHINOSPERMUM. Schwartz, ex Lehm. Asperif. p. 113. stickseed. 



[ From the Greek, cchinos, a hedgehog, and sperma, a seed ; the fruit being covered with prickles.] 



Calyx 5-cleft. Corolla somewhat salverform ; the throat closed with convex scales. Nuts 

 compressed or angular, muricate on the margin. — Hairy herbaceous plants, with the habit 

 of Myosotis, but differing in the fruit. 



1. Echinospermum Lappula, Lehm. Narrow-leaved Stickseed. 



Stem paniculately branched above ; leaves lanceolate, rather obtuse, rough and hairy ; 

 corolla longer than the calyx , the border erect-spreading ; fruit erect , the angles armed with 

 hooked prickles in a double row. — Lehm. Asperif. p. 121 ; Beck, hot. p. 254; Hook. fl. 

 Bor.-Am. 2. p. 84. Myosotis Lappula, Linn. sp. 1. p. 131 ; Flor. Dan. t. 692; Michx. 

 fl. 1. p. 129; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 134. Rochelia Lappula, Razm. <§• Schult. syst. 4. p. 109 ; 

 Torr. fl. 1. p. 208. 



Annual. Stem a foot or more high, covered with greyish spreading hairs, simple below. 

 Leaves 1-2 inches long, very hairy ; the hairs mostly tuberculate at the base. Flowers in 

 leafy racemes ; the pedicels very short. Segments of the calyx linear-lanceolate, acute. 

 Corolla about one-third longer than the calyx, blue. Prickles of the fruit barbed (glochidate) 

 at the tip. 



Road-sides, and on dry hills ; common in the northern and western parts of the State ; not 

 observed below the Highlands of the Hudson. Probably introduced from Europe. July - 

 August. 



2. Echinospermum Virginicum, Lehm. Broad-leaved Stickseed. 



Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, thinly covered with appressed hairs above, pubescent 

 underneath ; racemes divaricate ; fruit deflexed, covered with hooked prickles. — Lehm. 

 Asperif. p. 117 ; Beck, hot. p. 254 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 121 ; Lehm. in Hook. fl. Bor.- 

 Am. 2. p. 83. Myosotis Virginiana, Linn. sp. 1. p. 131 ; Michx. fl. 1. p. 129; Pursh, 

 fl. 1. p. 134 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 224 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 73. Rochelia Virginiana, Rozm. Sf 

 Schult. 4. p. 108 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 209. 



Biennial. Stem 2-3 feet high, divaricately branched at the summit, hairy. Leaves 3-4 

 inches long and an inch or more wide, acute at each end, thin and membranaceous ; the lower 

 ones petioled. Racemes mostly forked, bracteate. Pedicels nearly as long as the flower, at 

 length deflexed. Segments of the calyx ovate-lanceolate. Corolla very small, white. Fruit 

 nearly as in the preceding species, but the nuts more depressed. 



Borders of woods, along fences, and hill-sides ; rather common. July. The nuts of this 

 and the preceding species resemble small burs, and adhere to the covering of sheep, so as to 

 cause some trouble where the plants abound. 



