1. E. Caroliniànus, Willd. Somewhat hairy, corymbose, leafy; leaves ovate-oblong, thin.--Dry soil, Penn. to Ill. and Kan., and southward. [*][*] _Stem scape-like, with a few bract-like leaves or naked._ 2. E. tomentòsus, L. Somewhat hairy; basal leaves obovate to narrowly spatulate, silky and prominently veined beneath; heads large; pappus-scales attenuate.--Va., Ky., and southward. 3. E. nudàtus, Gray. Strigose-puberulent; basal leaves thin, green, spatulate-obovate or oblanceolate, not prominently veined beneath; heads smaller; pappus scales broadly deltoid.--Del. and southward. 2. VERNÒNIA, Schreb. IRON-WEED. Heads discoid, 15--many-flowered, in corymbose cymes; flowers perfect. Involucre shorter than the flowers, of many much imbricated scales. Receptacle naked. Achenes cylindrical, ribbed; pappus double, the outer of minute scale-like bristles, the inner of copious capillary bristles.--Perennial herbs, with leafy stems, alternate and acuminate or very acute leaves and mostly purple flowers. Species very difficult. (Named for _Wm. Vernon_, an early English botanist who travelled in this country.) [*] _Heads large, 50--70-flowered._ 1. V. Arkansàna, DC. Tall, rather glabrous; leaves linear-lanceolate, retrorsely denticulate; involucre very squarrose, the scales with long filiform tips.--Mo., Kan., and southward. [*][*] _Heads ½´ high or less, 15--40-flowered._ [+] _Leaves narrowly linear, glabrous, veinless, mostly entire._ 2. V. Jamèsii, Torr. & Gray. Low, nearly glabrous; heads few-flowered; scales obtuse or acute.--Plains of Neb. and southward. [+][+] _Leaves broader, mostly sharply denticulate or rigidly serrate, veined._ 3. V. fasciculàta, Michx. Leaves linear to oblong-lanceolate; heads many, crowded; scales close, obtuse or the uppermost mucronate; achene smooth.--Low grounds, Ohio and Ky. to Dak., and southward. Aug. 4. V. altíssima, Nutt. Usually tall; leaves lanceolate or lance-oblong; cyme loose; scales close, obtuse or mucronate; achenes hispidulous on the ribs.--Low grounds, W. Penn. to Ill., and southward.--Heads variable, 2--4´´ high and the scales in few or many ranks; the var. GRANDIFLÒRA, Nutt., with large heads, the involucre of 35--40 scales in many ranks. 5. V. Noveboracénsis, Willd. Rather tall; leaves long-lanceolate to lance-oblong; cyme open; involucre usually purplish; scales ovate and lance-ovate tipped with a slender cusp or awn.--Low grounds near the coast, Maine to Va., west to Minn., E. Kan., and southward. Aug. Var. latifòlia, Gray. Leaves broader; heads few; scales merely acute or acuminate.--Penn. to Ohio and southward. 6. V. Baldwínii, Torr. Tomentulose; heads small, at first globose; leaves lance-oblong or -ovate; involucre hoary-tomentose, greenish, squarrose, the scales acute or acuminate.--Prairies and barren hills; E. Mo. to Kan. and Tex. July, Aug. Passes into n. 4. 3. SCLERÓLEPIS, Cass.