1. K. eupatorioìdes, L. Stems 2–3° high; pubescence minute; leaves varying from broadly lanceolate and toothed, to linear and entire.—Dry soil, N. J. to Minn., E. Kan., and southward. Sept. Very variable.—Var. corymbulòsa, Torr. & Gray, is a western form, stouter and somewhat more pubescent, the heads rather crowded.
7. BRICKÉLLIA, Ell.
Characters as in Kuhnia; involucral scales more numerous, and the bristles of the pappus merely scabrous or at the most barbellate or subplumose; leaves often all opposite. (Dr. John Brickell of Georgia, correspondent of Elliott and Muhlenberg.)
1. B. grandiflòra, Nutt. Nearly glabrous, 2–3° high; leaves deltoid, cordate, the upper deltoid-lanceolate, coarsely dentate-serrate, acuminate, 4´ long or less; heads about 40-flowered.—Shannon Co., Mo. (Bush), Kan. to Col., New Mex., and westward.
8. LIÀTRIS, Schreb. Button Snakeroot. Blazing-Star.
Head discoid, few–many-flowered; flowers perfect. Involucral scales well imbricated, appressed. Receptacle naked. Corolla 5-lobed, the lobes long and slender. Achenes slender, tapering to the base, 10-ribbed. Pappus of 15–40 capillary bristles, manifestly plumose or only barbellate.—Perennial herbs, often resinous-dotted, with simple stems from a roundish corm or tuber, rigid alternate narrow entire leaves (sometimes twisted so as to become vertical), and spicate or racemed heads of handsome rose-purple flowers, appearing late in summer or in autumn. (Derivation of the name unknown.)
[*] Pappus very plumose; scales of the 5-flowered involucre with ovate or lanceolate spreading petal-like (purple or sometimes white) tips, exceeding the flowers.
1. L. élegans, Willd. Stem (2–3° high) and involucre hairy; leaves linear, short and spreading; spike or raceme compact (3–20´ long).—Barren soil, Va. and southward.
[*][*] Pappus very plumose; scales of the cylindrical many-flowered involucre imbricated in many rows, the tips rigid, not petal-like; corolla-lobes hairy within.
2. L. squarròsa, Willd. (Blazing-Star, etc.) Often hairy (6´–2° high); leaves rigid, linear, elongated; heads usually few (1´ long); scales mostly with elongated and leaf-like spreading tips.—Dry soil, Penn. to Minn., and southward.—Var. intermèdia, DC. Heads narrow; scales shorter, erect or nearly so.—Ont. to Neb. and Tex.