182 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



tain a large amount of potash, and it would probably be found a very 

 exhausting crop. Fowls are very fond of the fruit, or seeds, as they are 

 usually called. 



12. ACTINO'MERIS, Nutt. Actinomekis. 



[Greek, aktin, a ray, and meris, a part ; the rays being sometimes few or irregular.] 



Heads many - flowered ; 

 rays few or several, neu- 

 tral. Scales of involucre 

 in 1 - 3 rows. Receptacle 

 convex or conical chaffy. 

 Akenes laterally compress- 

 ed and winged. Pappus 

 of 2 smooth persistent 

 awns. Tall and branch- 

 ing perennial herbs with 

 serrate leather - veined 

 leaves tapering to the 

 base, and mostly decur- 

 r^at on the stem. 



1. A. SQUARRO'SA, Nutt. 



Stem somewhat hairy and 

 winged above ; scales of 

 ihe involucre in 2 rows, 

 ■ he outer linear-spatu- 

 :ate, reflexed ; rays 4- 

 10, irregular. 



Squareose Actinomeris. 



Siem 4-8 feet high, smooth 

 below. Leaves a foot or more 

 in length. Akenes broadlj- wing- 

 ed ; receptacle globular. 



Western and Southern States. 

 September. 



Obs. This is said by 

 Dr. Short to be a com- 

 mon weed in cultivated 

 grounds in Kentucky. 



Fig. 123. Flowers of Actinomeris squarrosa. 124. A separate floret, the akene with a 

 2-avvuod pappus. 



