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The stamens are very numerous, and are spirally arranged; and the carpels are variable in number, sessile or stipitate and slightly united at the base and dehisce by ventral suture.

Spikes mostly yellow or tawny when mature, densely aggregated or sometimes somewhat scattered below or even panicled; perigynium thick in texture, spongy at base, mostly stipitate, bearing very conspicuous nerves, which converge below and are especially prominent on the outer side.—Sp.

P. Pennsylvánicum, L. A similar species, but the branches above and especially the peduncles beset with stipitate glands; flowers larger and often bright rose-color, in short erect spikes, often on exserted pedicels; stamens usually 8; achene nearly orbicular, over 1´´ broad.—Moist soil, in open waste places, common.

S. phylicifòlia, L. Leaves lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, somewhat equally pointed or obtuse at both ends, remotely and minutely repand-toothed, 2–3´ long, very smooth on both sides, dark green and shining above, glaucous beneath, at length coriaceous; stipules obsolete; aments sessile with a few small bracts at base, 1´ long, rather densely flowered, oblong-cylindric, the fertile somewhat stipitate, becoming 2´ long in fruit; scales dark, silky-villous; capsule conic-rostrate from an ovoid base; stigmas bifid or entire, yellow drying black.

Carpels few, stipitate, several-seeded.—Perennial herbs, with palmately multifid radical leaves, the scape bearing a single large yellow flower surrounded by an involucre of a single leaf.