called Gall-of-the-Earth), resembles N. albus in its mode of growth, number
of flowers, &c., but N. altissimus in its pappus. The very remarkable var. y .
but appears to pass through var. /3. into the ordinary state of the plant.
4. N. nanus (DC.): glabrous; stem simple, low; leaves deltoid-hastate,
angulate, or variously lobed or cleft, on slender petioles; heads in small
axillary and terminal clusters, forming a strict racemose panicle; involucre
(livid or blackish-green) 10-13-flowered, of about 8 obtusish proper scales;
the bracteolate scales very short, triangular-ovate, appressed ; bracts and
bracteoles minute and subulate ; pappus dark straw-color.—D C .! prodr. 7.
p . 241. Prenanthes alba, var. nana, Bigel.! Jl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 286 ; Torr.!
compend. p. 277 (partly). Harpalyce alba /3. Beck. hot. p. 167.
Alpine region of the White Mountains of New Hampshire ! and of
Essex County, New York ! Aug.-Sept.—Plant 6-10 inches high. Leaves
varying in the same manner as those of N. altissimus, either all undivided
and hastate-triangular, angulate-toothed, or hastate-3-lobed ; or else the
lower or the whole 3-parted, with the divisions 2-3-cleft or entire, oblong or
lanceolate, often somewhat ciliate when young, as well as the tips of the
involucre. Heads nearly as large as in N. albus. Flowers whitish.
5. N. Boottii (DC.) : stem simple, dwarf, pubescent at the summit when
young ; radical and lowest cauline leaves subcordate or hastate-cordate, obtuse
; the middle oblong; the upper lanceolate, mostly entire, tapering into a
margined petiole; heads in a simple or nearly simple raceme, slightly nodding;
bracts and bracteoles linear; involucre (livid) 10-18-flowered, of
10-15 obtuse proper scales; the calyculate scales linear, lax, unequal, nearly
half the length of the proper involucre ; pappus straw-color.—DC. ! prodr.
7. p. 241. Prenanthes alba, var. nana, in part, Bigel.! 1. c. Sfc.
Higher alpine summits of the White Mountains of New Hampshire!
On the extreme summit of Whiteface Mountain, Essex County, NewYork,
Mr. Macrae ! Aug.-Sept.—Plant 5-8 inches high. Scales of the involucre
very obtuse, pubescent-ciliate when young; the calyculate scales
nearly similar, but shorter and unequal. Flowers whitish.—Nearly allied
as is this species to the preceding, yet the characters we have indicated appear
to be constant. According to Mr. Tuckerman, the flowers are odorous
in this species, but not in N. nanus.
6. N. virgatus (DC.): glabrous, somewhat glaucous; stem virgate, very
simple ; cauline leaves lanceolate, acute, closely sessile or partly clasping ;
the upper entire and gradually reduced to bracts; the lower toothed or pin-
natifid; the radical tapering into a margined petiole, sinuately or runcinately
and often deeply pinnatifid ; the lobes lanceolate-linear or oblong; heads in
small clusters, on short many-bracteolate peduncles (the minute bracteoles
subulate), forming a very long and slender mostly unilateral spicate raceme;
involucre (smooth and purplish) of about 8 proper scales, 8- 12-flowered;
pappus straw-color.—DC.! 1. c.—Prenanthes virgata, Michx.! Jl. 2. p. 83;
Willd. ! spec. 3. p. 1533; Pursh, Jl. 2. p. 498 S Ell. sk. 2. p. 258. P. simplex,
Pursh, l. c. excl. syn. P. autumnalis, &c. Gronov.! Jl. Virg. ed. 2.
p .1 1 3 ; Walt.! Car. p. 193. Sonchus virgatus, Desf., ex Steud. Harpalyce
virgata, Beck. hot. p. 167.
Moist places, in sandy fields and pine barrens, New Jersey! to Florida! in
the low country. Sept.-Oct.—Stem 2-4 feet high; the naked wand-like
raceme 1-2 feet long. Flowers purplish. (‘ Dr. Witt's Snake-root.’ Clayt.)
§ 2. Heads nodding or erect: involucre calyculate, \2-3b-Jlowered, hirsute.
(Leaves mostly undivided.)
7. N. racemosus (Hook.): stem virgate, simple, and with the leaves smooth
and glabrous; radical and lower cauline leaves oval, oblong, or oblanceolate,
sharply denticulate, tapering into winged petioles; the upper lanceolate or
ovate-lanceolate, partly clasping, entire; heads in short racemes or fascicles,
scarcely spreading, forming a long and narrow interrupted spicate panicle;
involucre (of 8-10 scales) with the short peduncles very hirsute, about 12-
flowered; pappus straw-color— Hook.! Jl. Bor.-Am. 1 .p. 294; DC.! 1. c.
Prenanthes racemosa, Michx. ! Jl. 2. p. 84; Torr.! compend. p. 277. Harpalyce
racemosa, Don, l. c .; Beck, hot. p. 168.
/?. spicate panicles numerous, elongated (6-8 inches), crowded, forming a
thyrsiform compound inflorescence.
y. leaves deeply and irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid !
Canada! (Northern Canada, Michaux!) and Saskatchawan! Wisconsin!
and Michigan! to the plains and prairies of Ohio! Also Hackensack marshes,
New Jersey ! /3. & y. Hackensack marshes, Mr. J. Carey! Sept.—Stem
2-5 feet high, striate. Flowers flesh-color or light purple.
8. N. asper: stem virgate, simple, and with the sessile leaves scabrous-
pubescent ; lower leaves oval-oblong, narrowed at the base, irregularly and
sharply toothed; the upper oblong-lanceolate, closely sessile, often entire;
heads mostly erect, in small fascicles, forming a long and narrow compound
raceme; the short peduncles and rachis woolly-hirsute; involucre of 8-9
scales, very hirsute, 12-14-flowered; pappus straw-color.—N. Illinoensis,
DC. 1. c. Prenanthes aspera, Michx.! Jl. 2. p. 83 (1803). P. Illinoensis’
Pers. syn. 2. p. 366. Chondrilla Illinoensis, Pair, suppl. 2. p. 331.
Dry barrens and prairies of Ohio! Indiana! Illinois! Kentucky! Western
Louisiana! and Upper Missouri! Sept.—Stem 2-4 feet high. Leaves
small. Heads larger than in the preceding; the hairs of the involucre often
purple. Flowers sulphur or cream-color.
9. N. crepidineus (DC.! 1. c .): somewhat glabrous; stem tall and stout,
corymbose-paniculate ; leaves (ample) unequally toothed; the radical deltoid-
hastate, the lower cauline triangular-ovate or deltoid-lanceolate, on winged
petioles; those of the branches ovate-lanceolate or oblong, somewhat petioled;
heads in small paniculate clusters, nodding, on short pubescent peduncles’
involucre of 12-14 proper scales, hirsute, 20-35-flowered; pappus brownish’.
—Prenanthes crepidinea, Michx.! Jl. 2. p. 84. P. gigantea, R a f.! in
herb. DC. Hieracium crepidineum, Fred. mss.
Borders of thickets and cultivated fields, Ohio! Indiana! and Illinois! to
Kentucky! and the high mountains of Carolina. Aug.-Oct.—Plant 5-8 feet
high. Lower leaves sometimes a foot long. Heads campanulate-cylindrical,
large. Involucre blackish. Flowers ochroleucous.
§ 3. Heads nearly erect, corymbose: involucre ecalyculate (with one or two inconspicuous
bracteolate scales), somewhat pubescent, few-flowered. (Indigenous
to the North West Coast.)
10. N. alatus (Hook.): nearly glabrous; stem paniculate-corymbose at the
summit; leaves membranaceous, deltoid, acuminate, sharply or laciniately
toothed, with long winged petioles; the radical cordate; the uppermost cauline
lanceolate, sessile; heads loosely corymbose; involucre of 7-9 lanceolate
somewhat acuminate minutely pubescent scales, 7- 9-flowered; pappus straw-
color— Hook.! Jl. Bor.-Am. 1 . p. 294, t. 202, Sonchus hastatus, Less, in
Lmneea, 6. p. 99; Bongard, veg. Sitcha, l. c. p. 146. Mulgedium hasta-
tum, DC.! prodr. 7 .p . 250.
Unalaschka, &c. Chamisso! Sitcha (also Kamtschatka), Bongard
Observatory Inlet and Fort Vancouver, Dr. Scouler!— Plant a foot or
more high. Boot or tuber small, fusiform. Flowers flesh-color. Mertens
(Bongard).