COMPOSITE FxVMILY. 



189 



1. L. vulga'rc, Lam. Stem erect, some^vhat branched ; leaves lacmi- 

 ately incised or pinnati fid-dentate, — the cauline ones sessile and some- 

 what clasping — the radical ones obovate-spatulate, petiolate ; scales of 

 the involucre with narrow russet-brown margins. 



CoMMOx Leucaxthemum. Daisy. Ox-eye Daisy. White-weed. 



Fr. L'oeil de Beuf. Germ. Die Wucherblume. Span. Margarita 

 mayor. 



stem 1 to near 2 feet high, erect or subdecumbent, angular and striate, somewhat hairy, 

 simple or sparingly branched, but often several from the same root. Leaves 1-2 inches 

 long, the upper stem-leaves oblong, the lower ones cuneate-spatulate, and the radical 

 ones obovate or orbicular-spatalate. Heads broad ; rays very white — in length about 

 equal to the diameter of the disk ; dislc-JioretsjQ\\o\Y. Akenes subterete, ribbed, smooth, 

 dark purple between the ribs, destitute of pappus. Receptacle slightly convex, dotted. 



Fields and meadows, more or less throughout the United States : introduced. Native of 

 Europe. J'Z. June -Aug. J'r. July -September. 



Ohs. This vile intruder is becoming a great nuisance in our country. 

 In some districts the careless, slovenly farmers have permitted it to get 

 almost exclusive possession of their pasture fields, — rendering them quite 

 white when the plant is in bloom. Cows will occasionally crop a por- 

 tion of the weed in our pastures, — and I have heard it alleged that it 

 contributes to the making of good butter : but my own observations 

 induce me to regard it as utterly worthless. It is propagated rapidly, 

 and is, moreover, exceedingly difficult to get rid of, when once fully es- 

 tablished ; so that one negligent sloven may be the source of a grievous 

 annoyance to a whole community. I have understood that annual 

 ploughing and cropping for a few years, is the most effectual remedy for 

 the evil ; but then the fence-rows and neighboring fields must be well 

 watched, to prevent the formation and introduction of fresh seed. The 

 Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum, L., a kindred plant) — which 

 is said to be such a pest to the agTiculture of Europe — does not appear 

 to have found its way, as yet, to the United States. 



18. TANACE'TUM, L. Taxsy. 



[Corrupted from Athanasia, Gr., a, not, and Thanalos, death : from its durable flowers.] 



Heads with the florets all perfect, with the marginal ones pistillate in a 

 single series. Scales of the involucre imbricated, dry. Receptacle more 

 or less convex. Akenes angled or ribbed, with a large epigynous disk. 

 Pappus none or minute, coroniform. Perennial herbs, or suffruticose 

 plants. Leaves alternate, dissected. Heads corymbose. 



1. T. vidga're, L. Stem herbaceous, smoothish ; leaves bipinnately 

 parted, — the rachis and lobes incised-serrate ; heads heterogamous, num- 

 erous, in a dense fastigiate corymb ; pappus coroniform, of five equal 

 lobes. 



CoMMOx TANACET.r. Tausy. 



Fr. Tanaisie. Germ. Der Eainfarn. Span. Tanaceto. 



