|.X 



COMPOSI'l AK. 



Vol. III. 



28. Aster nebraskensis Britton. 

 Aster. Fig. 4309. 



Nebraska 



Aster nebraskensis Britton, in Britt. & Brown, 111. Fl. 

 3: 375- 1898. 



Stem strictly erect, slender, stiff, rough to the 

 base, simple, or with a few short nearly erect 

 branches, very leafy, il-2i" tall. Leaves thick, 

 rather rigid, ascending, lanceolate to oblong- 

 lanceolate, entire, sessile by a subcordate base, 

 acute or acuminate at the apex. l'~3' long, 4"-6" 

 wide, very rough on both sides, the midvein 

 prominent beneath, the lateral veins obscure ; 

 heads few, terminating short leafy branchlets, 

 l'-li' broad; involucre broadly campanulate or 

 hemispheric, about 3" high, its bracts green, ob- 

 long, acute, imbricated in several series, the outer 

 quite foliaceous; rays purple, about 6" long. 



Lake shores, central Nebraska. Sept. Lower and 

 basal leaves not seen. 



29. Aster amethystinus Nutt. Amethyst 

 Aster. Fig. 4310. 



Aster amethystinus Nutt. Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. (II) 7: 

 294. 1 84 1. 



Resembles Aster novae-angliae , but is often taller, 

 sometimes 5 high. Leaves often crowded, linear- 

 lanceolate, entire, rough or hispidulous on both sides, 

 partly clasping, though sometimes slightly so, at the 

 sessile base, acute at the apex, those of the stem 

 1 '-2' long, 2" -3" wide; heads rather numerous, race- 

 mose or corymbose, J'-l' broad; involucre broadly 

 turbinate, its bracts much imbricated, linear, hispid, 

 not glandular, the acutish green tips spreading; rays 

 20-30, blue or violet, about 3" long ; pappus brown ; 

 achenes canescent. 



In moist soil, Vermont and Massachusetts to New 

 York. Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. Sept.- 

 Oct. Specimens have intermediate characters between 

 Aster novae-angliae L. and Aster multiflorus L., and 

 hybridism is suspected. 



30. Aster modestus Lindl. Great Northern 

 Aster. Fig. 431 1. 



Aster unalaschensis var. major Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 2 : 7. 



i34. 

 Aster modestus Lindl. ; Hook. loc. cit. 8. 1834. 

 Aster majus Porter, Mem. Torr. Club 5 : 325. 1894. 



Stem stout, leafy to the summit, usually densely 

 pilose-pubescent with many-celled hairs, rarely gla- 

 brate, branched above," 4-6 high. Leaves mem- 

 branous, lanceolate, partly clasping by a narrowed 

 base, acuminate at the apex, sharply serrate with 

 low, distant teeth, dark green and slightly pubes- 

 cent above, villous-pubescent on the veins beneath, 

 3-5' long, S"-Io" wide; heads mostly solitary at 

 the ends of short branches, 1*' broad; involucre 

 hemispheric, its bracts little imbricated, green, 

 linear-subulate, densely glandular; rays 35-45- pur- 

 ple to violet, s"~7" long ; achenes appressed-pubes- 

 cent ; pappus tawny. 



In moist soil, western Ontario to Minnesota, Oregon 

 and British Columbia. Scpt.-Oct. 



