COMPOSITE FAMILY, 



191 



base, the sub divisions elliptic-oblong, obtuse, entire. Heads numerous, in leafy panicu- 

 late racemes ; florets yellowish. Akenes obcouic-oblou^', smooth. 

 Gardens : cultivated. Native of Europe. J'L August, i^"/-. Sept. -October. 



Obs. This plant — proverbial for its bitterness — is generally kept in 

 gardens ; and is valuable for its medicinal properties, as a tonic, vermi- 

 fuge, &c., and is occasionally seen growing spontaneously along roads 

 and lanes. 



Tkere is another species (A. Abrota'num, L.), commonly known by 

 the name of " Southern-wood," or " Old Man," frequent in gardens ; 

 and a fourth (A. vulga'kis, L.), called " Mug-wort," is occasionally met 

 with ; but these are of less importance, and scarcely entitled to a place 

 here. 



20. GNAPHA'LIUM, L. Cudweed. 



[Greek, Gnaphalon, soft down or wool, — with which the plants are clothed.] 



Heads many-flowered ; florets all tubular, — the outer ones pistillate^ very 

 slender, mostly in several series — the central ones perfect. Involucre 

 ovoid ; scales imbricated, appressed, scarious or hyaline. Receptacle flat. 

 Akenes subterete. Pappus in a single series, capillary and scabrous. 

 Herbs mostly woolly or tomentose. Leaves sessile or decurreut. Heads 

 corymbose, glomerate, or spicate. 



L G. polyceph'alum, Mx. Stem herbaceous, erect, paniculately 

 branched ; leaves linear-oblanceolate, acute, sessile and not decurrent, 

 smoothish above, tomentose beneath ; heads numerous, in terminal co- 

 rymbose clusters. 



Many-headed Gxaphalium. Life-everlasting. 



Root annual. Stem 1-2 feet high, hoary-tomcntose and generally much branched 

 Leaves 1-Z inches long, somewhat undulate on the margins, green and nearly smooth on 

 the upper surface, whitish and densely tomentose beneath. Heads rather small, oblong- 

 ovoid, ochroleucous, aggregated in dense terminal clusters, very fragrant. Florets 

 Blender, yellowish. Akenes oblong, subterete, smooth. Pappus somewhat tawny. 



Old fields and pastures : Canada to Texas. Fl. Aug. - Sept. Ir. October. 



065. This is often quite abundant in old pasture fields ; and although 

 not a pernicious plant, it is altogether valueless to the farmer, and must 

 be regarded as a mere weed. 



21. ERECHTHI'TES, Rafin. Fire-weed. 



[The ancient Greek name of some species of Groundsels.] 



Heads many-flowered, discoid ; marginal florets pistillate, very slender, 

 2-3-toothed, — the others perfect, 4 - 5-toothed. Involucre cylindrical, 

 — the scales in a single series, linear, acute, bracteolate. Receptacle na- 

 ked, somewhat papillose. Akenes oblong, striate, somewhat attenuated 

 at apex. Pappus copious and smoothish, of very fine capillary bristleg 

 in several series. Annual herbs. Heads corymbose. 



