Tas. 6718. 
ASTER DIPLOSTEPHIOIDES. 
Native of the Himalaya. 
Nat. Ord. Compositz.—Tribe ASTEROIDEX. 
Genus AstrrR, Linn.; (Benth. et Hook. J. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 271.) 
Aster (Alpigenia) diplostephioides ; glanduloso-pubescens v. -tomentosa, v. -villosa, 
a an . rhizomate robusto, caule simplici erecto robusto folioso l-cephalo, foliis 
Mager radicalibus oblongo- vy. obovato-oblongis v. oblanceolatis acutis in petiolum 
ae * angustatis caulinis sessilibus linearibus oblongo-linearibus obovato-ob ongisve, 
at capitulo 2-3-poll. diam., involucri bracteis lanceolatis exterioribus interdam 
en foliaceti: ligulis purpureis elongatis 2-seriatis, acheniis oblongis compressis 
oe, _-erostatis sericeis, pappi setis sordidis extimis brevibus rigidis. 
fa A. diplostephioides, Benth. in Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 272; Clarke Comp. Ind, p. 45; 
Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vol. ii. p. 251. : 
Hetzrocuxra diplostephioides, DC. Prodr. vol. v. p- 282. 
Dirtoparrvs diplostephioides, Herb. Ind. Or. Hook. J- vol. v. p. 7, in part. 
This is the handsomest and one of the commonest of the 
Alpine Composite of the Himalaya, abounding in moist 
Situations at various points along the southern face of the 
range from Kashmir to Sikkim, at elevations of 8000 to 
11,000 feet in the north-west, but ascending to 16,000 feet 
in Sikkim. Like its congeners, it varies a good deal in 
hairyness, breadth and length of its leaves, and size of head, 
ut it is otherwise a remarkably constant Species. Its 
_hearest ally is the A. Heterocheta, Benth., which is the 
_ Himalayan representative of the European and North Asian 
— A, alpinus. Many of the heads contain ray-flowers with 
Imperfect stamens, and some with a second ligule smaller 
than and opposite to the normal one (see fig. 3), the corolla 
_ thus becoming bilabiate. 
___ the specimens here figured were raised from seed 
gathered in Sikkim by H. Elwes, Esq., and presented by 
him to the Royal Gardens. They flowered profusely in 
ay and June, quite equalling the finest specimens from 
their native country. Dr. Aitchison, who sends dried 
OCTOBER Ist, 1883. 
