1899] Fernald, — Varieties of Aster and Solidago 187 
Even harmful species may be treated with salt water and vinegar so 
that they may be made harmless, but this does not, to my mind, render 
them worthy of being classed with those that are edible without such 
treatment. Very truly yours, 
Chas. H. Peck. 
“We have now before us the question as to what constitutes edi- 
bility in a mushroom. As a natural food product, the mushroom must 
take its place with other vegetable growths, and it occurs to me 
that, if the subject were investigated, it would be found that many 
familiar foods are rendered nutritious by certain processes of cooking, 
without which they would be harmful." 
[The question of the edibility of certain noxious fungi has been raised before, for 
instance in regard to acrid species of Lactarius and Russula. Although experience 
has shown that proper treatment robs them of their power to do harm, and thus ren- 
ders their substance a convenient vehicle for savory seasoning, prudence will always 
require, as Mr. Peck asserts in his letter to Mr. Wills, that such species, when there is 
no room for full notes upon them, be left in the non-edible list, and stigmatized as 
noxious, — Ep.] 
SOME UNDESCRIBED AND LITTLE-KNOWN VARIETIES 
OF ASTER AND SOLIDAGO. 
M. L. FERNALD. 
In the study of the northeastern asters and goldenrods my attention 
has been called from time to time to some strongly marked varieties 
of well-known species which so maintain their characteristics that they 
seem worthy of varietal names. Careful study in the field leads me 
to consider all the forms here described extreme variations from more 
common specific types rather than distinct species. The forms of 
Aster multiflorus, A. vimineus, A. puniceus and A. tardiflorus, though 
habitally unique in their extremes, pass very clearly into the typical 
forms of those species. The last plant is one of several remarkably 
pubescent forms, as 4. /ongifolius, Lam., var. villicaulis, Gray and A. 
cordifolius, L., var. Furbishiae, Fernald (Proc. Port. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. 
129), which occur on the banks of the St. John and other rivers of 
northern New England. The So/dago, though remarkably large, pre- 
sents no apparent floral characters to separate it from the exceedingly 
variable S. Virgaurea. 
Aster multiflorus, Ait., var. exiguus. A slender plant differing 
from the species in its flexuous branches terminated by solitary or 
rarely slightly clustered heads. — A. ciliatus, Muhl. in Willd. Sp. iii. 
