Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
- Family: Aster (Asteraceae)
- Flowering: August-October.
- Field Marks: This is the only Eupatorium with strongly connate (clasping) leaves (see illustration).
- Habitat: Wet meadows, swamps, wet prairies, around ponds and lakes, in sloughs, along streams.
- Habit: Perennial herb, sometimes with rhizomes.
- Stems: Erect, usually branched, white-hairy, up to 5 feet tall.
- Leaves: Opposite, simple, lanceolate, pointed at the tip, strongly connate at the base, toothed, white-hairy, up to 6 inches long, up to 2 inches broad.
- Flowers: Several crowded into small white heads, with many heads forming a much branched inflorescence, each head 1/6-1/4 inch across and subtended by several narrow, green, hairy bracts, all flowers tubular.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 5, united to form a tube, white.
- Stamens: 5.
- Pistils: Ovary inferior.
- Fruits: Achenes 1/10 inch long, with a tuft of white bristles.
- Notes: The achenes of this species are eaten by waterfowl.
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