1224 CARDUACEAE 
heads 8-14 mm. broad, terminating the usually divergent slender branches and branch- 
lets, usually numerous: involucre broadly campanulate ; bracts linear-subulate, appressed, 
imbricated in about four series, obtuse in type, with green spatulate tips tapered at their 
apex: ray-flowers 15-30; ligules white (rarely pale pink or pale violet), 4 mm. long: 
pappus white : achenes minutely pubescent. 
In sandy soil or swamps, Maine to western New York, Ontario, Florida, Louisiana and Missouri. 
Late summer and fall.—The following forms jare distinguishable :(?.4. dumosus subulaefolius T. & G.: 
more rigid, with long straggling branches; heads somewhat larger; rameal leaves linear with subu- 
late apex, rigid and sharp or even punctate, erect or slightly spreading; bracts acute, their narrow 
green tips lanceolate to spatulate. In pine lands and copse-borders, South Carolina and Florida to 
Arkansas and Texas. A. dumosus graciléntus T. & G.: more slender;and effuse, the small heads often 
solitary upon the prolonged divergent branches; rameal leaves scattered, spreading, minute, entire, 
obtuse or acutish. Woodlands, Martha’s Vineyard to Florida and Alabama. A. dumosus stríctior T. & 
G.: branches not very numerous, often aggregated above and ascending; leaf-blades acuminate and 
entire. Moist thickets, Massachusetts to Maryland and Tennessee. 
75. Aster coridifólius Michx. Resembles A. dumosus, but the stem more rigid, dif- 
fusely decompound with slender flagellate branches and branchlets ; cauline leaves as in A. 
dumosus ; rameal and ramular leaves uniform, and minute, greatly and abruptly reduced 
from the cauline, spreading or divaricate or reflexed, linear, usually not over 1 cm. long, 
very numerous, crowded and bract-like, giving the plant its characteristic aspect : heads 
small, many of them solitary on prolonged branchlets: bracts more rigid, obtusish, their 
tips broad-spatulate, rounded and then apiculate. 
In pine lands chiefly, North Carolina and Florida to Louisiana; and northward in sand barrens 
to Martha’s Vineyard. Summer and fall. 
76. Aster multiflorus Ait. Stem 3-20 dm. high, strict, much branched and bushy, 
the branches ascending or spreading | leaf-blades rigid, linear, entire, mostly obtuse, ses- 
sile or slightly clasping at the base, strigose or glabrate, those of the cauline leaves 1-2.5 
em. long; those of the branches very small and crowded: heads 6-8 mm. broad, densely 
crowded, nearly sessile : involucre turbinate, 4-6 mm. high; bracts coriaceous, pubescent, 
in 3 or 4 series, their short green tips obtuse or mucronate, spreading: ray-flowers 10-20 ; 
ligules white, 3-4 mm. long: pappus becoming brownish white : achenes puberulent. 
In dry open places, Maine and Ontario to South Dakota, Georgia, Texas and Mexico. Late sum- 
mer and fall. 
77. Aster exíguus (Fernald) Rydb. Stem 3-10 dm. high, much branched and 
bushy, rough-pubescent with short divaricate hairs, the branches spreading, often secund: 
leaves as in the next preceding species, but more pubescent, the hairs spreading, ciliate : 
heads as in A. multiflorus, but usually on shorter branchlets: bracts of the involucre broader, 
and each with a thick, broad, oval or obovate green portion, hispid and ciliate. 
On prairies, plains and other open places, Vermont to Washington, Pennsylvania, Texas and Ari- 
zona. Rare eastward. Late summer and fall. 
78. Aster racemósus Ell Stem apparently tall, somewhat scabrous-pubescent on 
‘the ascending rather slender branches: leaves firm; blades linear or nearly so, relatively 
“small, acute, the upper entire: heads not very numerous, racemosely or spicately disposed, 
rather crowded toward the ends of the branches, distant below : involucre about 4 mm. high ; 
bracts firm, subulate to narrowly linear, acuminate: ray-flowers few; ligules purplish, 
.2-3 mm. long: achenes minutely pubescent. 
Along or near the coast, South Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Summer and fall. 
779. Aster vimíneus Lam. Stem 6-15 dm. high, glabrous or nearly so, slender, di- 
~vergently branched : cauline leaves linear-acuminate, 7-12 cm. long, regularly minutely 
hack-serrate, slightly narrowed at the sessile base, those of the branches much smaller: 
heads very numerous, 6-10 mm. broad, generally densely racemose-secund, short-peduncled: 
involucre broadly turbinate ; bracts linear, acute or acutish, green-tipped, appressed : ray- 
flowers nymerous ; ligules about 4 mm. long, narrowly linear, white, often roseate in fad- 
ing : pappus white: achenes minutely pubescent. 
In moist soil, Ontario to Massachusetts, Minnesota, Kansas, Florida and Arkansas. Late sum- 
mer and fall. 
80. Aster laterifldrus (L.) Britton. Stem 3-15 dm. tall, puberulent or nearly gla- 
brous, slender, divergently branched, often bushy: basal leaves few; blades ovate, short- 
petioled ; cauline leaves numerous; blades broadly lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 5-1 
cm. long, mostly acuminate, serrate, those of the branches smaller, oblong or linear-oblong: 
heads 6-10 mm. broad, racemosely unilateral on the branches, short-peduncled or sessile, 
usually numerous and crowded : involucre turbinate ; bracts linear-oblong, obtuse or acutish, 
imbricated in about 4 series, their short green tips appressed or slightly spreading: ray- 
flowers numerous ; ligules short, whitish or pale purple, rounded at the apex : disk-flowers 
purple : pappus white: achenes minutely nE a 
