190 Rhodora [OCTOBER 
in that form, and even more elongated than in the ordinary broadly 
branching 4. puniceus. This narrow-leaved plant is identified without 
hesitation with Lindley’s var. demissus, described and figured in the 
Botanical Register. Other specimens have since been examined from 
central Maine, though in these the elongation of the leaf is not so 
striking as in Mr. Cameron’s plant. The var. demissus may be briefly 
described as follows : — 
A. PUNICEUS, var. DEMISSUS, Lindley, Bot. Reg. xix. t. 1636. Stem 
hispid as in the species: leaves elongate-lanceolate with scattered 
coarse teeth: inflorescence much as in var. compactus.— In low 
ground, either with the species or by itself, Somerset County, Maine 
(F. F. Collins); Orono, Maine (M. L. Fernald); Northampton, 
Massachusetts (Robert Cameron). 
Another striking form of Aster puniceus has recently been described 
by me in the Ottawa Naturalist (xiii. 105) as var. oligocephalus. This 
is the smoothish few-headed form of Oakes Gulf and Tuckerman's 
Ravine, with conspicuous foliaceous outer bracts. It occurs also on the 
northern shore of Lake Superior and in Newfoundland and Labrador. 
The following key to the New England forms of Aster puniceus 
may be of assistance to students of the group : — 
Branches of the inflorescence, in well-developed plants, much exceeding the sub- 
tending leaves. 
Stem conspicuously hispid: leaves oblong-lanceolate, regularly but remotely 
serrate, hispid on the midribs beneath: involucral bracts long-attenuate 
s . . ` . e . 4 . ‘ A. puniceus, L. 
Stem glabrous or sparingly hispid above: leaves lanceolate, glabrous beneath. 
Leaves sharply serrate: inflorescence mostly loose and open-paniculate : 
involucral bracts long-attenuate . A. puniceus, var. laevicaulis, Gray. 
Leaves entire: heads thyrsoid-paniculate on elongated leafy branches: 
involucral bracts less attenuate á A. puniceus, var. lucidulus, Gray 
Branches of the inflorescence shorter than, or slightly exceeding, the subtending 
leaves. 
Stem conspicuously hispid: leaves coarsely and irregularly toothed: heads 
many, crowded: involucral bracts all attenuate. 
Leaves elongate-lanceolate, hispid on the midribs beneath 
ij ` ‘ è , ‘ ‘ 1 A. puniceus, var. demissus, Lindl. 
Leaves sub-rhomboidal, smooth or sparingly hispidulous on the midribs 
beneath ^ . . i ; : A. puniceus, var. compactus, Fernald. 
Stem glabrous, or sparingly pubescent above: leaves lanceolate or oblong- 
lanceolate, entire or subentire, glabrous and somewhat lucid beneath: 
heads few or solitary, usually subtended by leafy bracts, and with folia- 
ceous outer involucral bracts ; A. puniceus var. oligocephalus, Fernald. 
SOLIDAGO VIRGAUREA, L., var. calcicola. Stems clustered, erect, 
` about r m. high, purplish, glabrous below, puberulent and somewhat 
glutinous above, simple or with a few erect branches, very leafy 
throughout : lower stem-leaves 1 to 1.5 dm. long, broadly oblanceolate, 
acuminate, sharply and irregularly serrate above the middle, entire 
