164 



ECHINACEA DUBIA. 



large, about 4 inches in diameter. Florets of the ray, neuter, of a purplish lilac, lanceolate, the 

 apex usually entire, occasionally with 2 teeth. Florets of the disc regular, externally pubescent, 

 tube narrow and contracted at the base, ventricose above the contraction, and terminating in a 

 4 or 5. toothed limb, teeth spreading, somewhat recurved. PalecB shorter than the florets, oblong- 

 lanceolate, subdentate, with a dark brown, cartilaginous, pubescent, dorsal band extending from 

 the base to the apex. Achcenia 4-sided, crowned with very short pappus, irregularly divided 

 into numerous, very minute bristle-like appendages, which, however, are not observable in the 

 florets of the ray. 



A half-haedy herbaceous plant, with a black, tuberous root, raised from 

 Mexican seeds presented to the Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society, 

 in 1837, by George Barker, Esq., of Springfield. It is a handsome plant, and 

 makes a showy appearance as a border flower. It was found in Mexico by Mr. 

 John Ross, Mr. Barker's collector. 



In its general appearance it resembles E. heterophylla ; from which, however, 

 it differs in many respects, particularly in the very long external scales of the 

 involucre, in the usually entire apex of the rays, in the palese being shorter than 

 the florets, and in the shape of the cauline leaves, which are panduriform and 

 sessile, not lanceolate and petiolate : it resembles also in some degree E. Dicksoni, 

 published in May, 1838, by Dr. Lindley in the Bot Reg. ; from which it may be 

 distinguished by its coarse pubescence, by the want of a tooth-like lobe at the 

 innner edge of the floret of the ray, and by the shape of the cauline leaves. 



It should be kept during winter in a cold frame, or in the greenhouse, and 

 transplanted into the open ground in May. It flowers late in the autumn. From 

 the appearance of the roots, it is probable that they might be preserved, like 

 Dahlia and Mirabilis roots, by being stowed away dry in a cellar ; but it is, at 

 present, too soon to try the experiment. It can only be increased, probably, by 

 seeds, which may be insured by impregnating some of the earliest flowers. It will 

 grow in any common garden soil. 



The generic name Echinacea, as observed by Dr. Lindley, is very objectionable ; 

 being formed from the adjective echinaceous, bristly, in allusion to the sharp points 

 of the scales of the receptacle, which bristle over the centre of the flower-heads in 

 some of the species. 



Fig. 1, Floret of the disc with its palea ; 2, Achenium crowned with the 

 minute teeth of the short, divided pappus. 



