Tas. 6430. 
ASTER 'TownsHenv1t. 
Native of Colorado, 
Nat. Ord. Composirm.—Tribe AsTEROIDER, 
Genus Aster, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl, ii. 271). 
Aster (Euaster) Townshendii : erecta, herbacea, ramosa, scaberulo-pilosa, ramis 
robustis costatis foliosis, foliis radicalibus elongato-spathulatis obscure sinuatis 
apice rotundatis, petiolo alato, caulinis e basi semiamplexicauli ovato-oblongis 
obtusis irregulariter dentatis, capitulis 2} poll.diam., pedunculis validis foliaceo- 
bracteatis, involucri late turbinati bracteis numerosissimis multiseriatis her- 
baceis rigidis linearibus acutis squarroso-recurvis hispidulis exterioribus bre- 
vioribus, ligulis sub.-2-seriatis pollicaribus linearibus, herbaceis, fl. disci flavis 
pappo 1-seriato setis inequalibus, appendicibus stigmatis brevibus obovatis, 
acheniis glabris. 
I fail to find any description, or any specimen in the Kew 
Herbarium answering to the character of this very handsome 
plant, whose nearest ally appears to be the Aster canescens, A. 
Gr , (Diplopappus incanus, Lindl., tab. nost. 3382, var. latifolia, 
Gray, from which it differs in its scabrid hairs, robust habit, 
the cordate bases of the much broader leaves, and the very 
large heads. It is remarkable that so beautiful a plant should 
have escaped the notice of the many excellent botanists and 
zealous collectors that have explored the Rocky Mountains of 
Colorado, and that it should find no place in the synopsis of 
that Flora published in 1874 by Messrs. Porter and Coulter. 
It was raised from seeds presented in 1877 to the Royal 
Gardens by Richard B. Townshend, Esq., a gentleman who has 
resided in Colorado, and to whom the gardens are indebted 
for other valuable contributions from that interesting country. 
The seeds vegetated freely and the plant flowered profusely 
in September, 1878. ; 
Descr. A stout, much branched herb, clothed with short 
rigid hairs; stem and branches green, angled and ribbed, 
leafy. Radical leaves 8 to 12 inches long by one to one and a 
JUNE Ist, 1879. : 
