1224 CARDUACEAE 



heads 8-14 mm. broad, terminating the usually divergent slender branches and branch- 

 lets, usually numerous : involucre broadly carapanulate ; bracts linear-subulate, appressed, 

 imbricated in about four series, obtuse in type, with green sj^atulate tips tapered at their 

 apex: i-ay-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 lare 6istingmsha,h\e -.^A. diimosvs subulaffdliuii T. &Q.: 

 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. dmnosus firacilcnitis T. ct 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. dumo:<uf'^trictior 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 coridifolius Michx. Eesembles A. dmnosus, but the stem more rigid, dif- 

 fusely decompound with slender flagellate branches and branchlets ; cauline leaves as in A. 

 dmnosus; 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 

 cm. 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 exiguus (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 : 



lieads as in ^4. midtiflorus, 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 racemosus Ell. Stem apparently tall, somewhat scabrous-pubescent on 

 the ascending rather slender branches : leaves firm ; blades linear or nearly so, relatively 



r 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. 



79. Aster vimineus 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 numerous ; ligules about 4 mm. long, narrowly linear, white, often roseate in fad- 

 ing : pappus white : achenes minutel}' pubescent. 



In moist soil, Ontario to Massachusetts, Minnesota, Kansas, Florida and Arkansas. Late sum- 

 mer and fall. 



80. Aster lateriflorus (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, 5-12 

 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 pubescent. 



