Genus 31. 



THISTLE FAMILY. 



7. Aster curvescens Burgess. Dome-topped 

 Aster. Fig. 4288. 



Aster curvescens Burgess ; Britt. & Brown, 111. Fl. 3 : 

 359. 1898. 



Dark green, chiefly glabrous ; rootstocks often 10' 

 long; stem smooth, striate, delicate, li-34 high. 

 Basal leaves tufted, conspicuous, these and the lowest 

 stem leaves with a broad sinus tapering into a 

 petiole 1-2 times as long as the blade, abruptly in- 

 curved-acuminate ; middle leaves ovate, short-peti- 

 oled, rounded at the base, the upper lanceolate, slen- 

 derly acuminate, often falcate ; leaves firm, smooth- 

 ish, the teeth broad, curved ; inflorescence ' mostly 

 convex, 3'-5' broad, its short filiform naked branches 

 widely ascending ; heads 4"-5" high ; lower bracts 

 short, obtuse, the others longer, nearly uniform, 

 scarious, shining, linear, often acute, usually gla- 

 brous ; rays about 8. cream-white, about 5" long ; 

 disk becoming purple-brown ; pappus early redden- 

 ing ; achenes slender, glabrous. 



In loose moist shaded soil, New England and Xew 

 York to Virginia. Aug.-Sept. 



8. Aster Schreberi Nees. Schreber's Aster. 

 Fig. 4289. 



Aster Schreberi Nees, Syn. Ast. 16. 1818. 



Stem stout, 2-3 high, with long internodes. 

 Basal leaves often in extensive colonies, thin, dull 

 green, firm, rough above, with scattered slender ap- 

 pressed bristles, pubescent beneath on the veins, 

 reniform-cordate or cordate-triangular, often 7' long 

 by 5' wide, the basal sinus when well developed 

 rectangular, 2' across and 1' deep; upper leaves 

 ovate-oblong to lanceolate, with a short broad basal 

 wing, or sessile ; petioles of the lower leaves long, 

 conspicuously ciliate when young; inflorescence, de- 

 compound, flattish, or irregularly convex, 6'-i2' 

 broad ; heads about 5" high ; bracts greenish, mostly 

 obtuse, ribs and midrib dark green, ciliate ; rays 

 usually 10. 



In borders of woods, and along fence rows in partial 

 shade, New York to Michigan and Virginia. July-Aug. 



9. Aster macrophyllus L. Large-leaved 

 Aster. Fig. 4290. 



Aster macrophyllus L. Sp. PI. Ed. 2, 1232. 1763. 



Rough; rootstocks long, thick; stem reddish, 

 angular, 2-3 high. Basal leaves forming large 

 colonies, 3 or 4 to each stem, broad, cordate with 

 a large irregular sinus, rough above, harsh, thick, 

 the teeth broad, curved, pointed, the petioles long, 

 narrow ; upper stem leaves oblong with short 

 broadly winged petioles, the uppermost sessile, 

 acute; inflorescence strigose and glandular, broadly 

 corymbose, irregular ; heads 5"-6" high ; peduncles 

 rigid, thickish ; rays about 16, 5" -7" long, chiefly 

 lavender, sometimes violet, rarely pale ; bracts con- 

 spicuously green-tipped, the lower acute, the inner 

 oblong, obtuse ; disk turning reddish brown; florets 

 short-lobed. 



In moderately dry soil, in shaded places, Canada to 

 Minnesota and North Carolina. Here regarded as con- 

 sisting of numerous slightly differing races, perhaps in- 

 cluding the five following described as species. Aug. 



