This section is from the book "An Illustrated Flora Of The Northern United States, Canada And The British Possessions Vol3", by Nathaniel Lord Britton, Addison Brown. Also available from Amazon: An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 Volume Set..
Erect perennial herbs, with fibrous roots and alternate simple leaves; those of the stem sessile or clasping, the basal ones narrowed into petioles. Heads small, discoid, of 5-10 purple, or white flowers, in terminal thyrsoid or corymbose panicles. Involucre campanulate, its bracts imbricated in 2 or 3 series, the outer scarcely shorter than the inner. Receptacle flat, naked. Corolla regular, its limb 5-lobed. Anthers obtuse and entire at the base. Achenes nearly terete, 10-ribbed. Style-branches slender, obtuse. Pappus of 1 or 2 series of elongated, barbed bristles. [Anagram of Liatris.]
Two knows species, natives of the southeastern United States. Type species: Trilisia odora-tissima (Walt.) Cass.
Stem glabrous; heads corymbose-paniculate.
1. T. odoratissima.
Stem viscid-pubescent; heads thyrsoid-paniculate.
2. T. paniculata.
Fig. 4188
Anonymos odoratissima Walt. Fl. Car. 198.
1788. Liatris odoratissima Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2:
93. 1803. Trilisa odoratissima Cass. Dict. Sci. Nat. 55:
310. 1828.
Rather stout, glabrous, 2°-3° high. Leaves thick, entire, or sometimes dentate, the lower oblanceolate, oblong or spatulate, obtuse, 4'-10' long, 1'-1 1/2' wide, those of the stem gradually smaller, oblong, ovate or oval, the uppermost bract-like; heads corymbose-paniculate, about 3" high; bracts of the involucre oblong, obtusish; achenes glandular-pubescent.
In pine-barrens, North Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Recorded from Virginia, and to be looked for in the southeastern part of that state. Deer's- or hound's-togue. Aug.-Sept.
Fig. 4189
Anonymos paniculatus Walt. Fl. Car. 198. 1788. Liatris paniculata Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 93.
1803. Trilisa paniculata Cass. Dict. Sci. Nat. 55: 310.
1828.
Stem viscid-pubescent, 1°-3° high. Leaves entire, the basal ones lanceolate or narrowly oblong, acute or obtusish, 3'-10' long, 1/2'-1 1/2' wide, those of the stem much smaller, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate; heads thyrsoid-paniculate, about 3" high; bracts of the involucre oblong, obtusish; achenes finely pubescent.
In pine-barrens, Virginia to Florida. Sept-Oct.
 
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