134 COMPOSITiE. Aster. 



and with the veinlets similarly reticulated ; the apex more abruptly narrowed 

 to a mucronate-acuminate point ; those of the branches 1-2 inches long, 

 usually broader in proportion to their length, those of the branchlets often 

 very short. Heads usually larger than in A. tenuifolius, but somewhat va- 

 riable in this respect ; the scales of the involucre broader and shorter, ap- 

 pressed (or the outermost loose), more unequal, and regularly imbricated, 

 pale, with short usually rhombic-ovoid green tips, which are very slightly 

 spreading. Rays longer, broader, and more showy than in A. tenuifolius, 

 ' flesh-colored' (Nees), nearly white, or sometimes light violet-purple in the 

 wild plant ; the disk often turning purplish. Alveoli of the receptacle some- 

 what lacerate or laciniate. — This sjjecies was described by Nees, from spe- 

 cimens of uncertain derivation, cultivated in the garden of Count Schccnborn. 

 Dr. Lindley identified a plant collected near Boston by Dr. Boott, with an 

 authentic specimen, from Nees. We have the same plant from Ohio, and 

 other specimens, which clearly sliow that A. subasper of Lindleyis only a 

 form of this species. Although apparently distinct from both, it closely 

 approaches A. laxifolius on the one hand, and A. tenuifolius (with which 

 Nees compares it) on the other. Some states of it have not unfrequently 

 been labelled A. Tradescanti ; a name often applied to what we consider a 

 form of A. tenuifolius. 



53. A. Grcenei : stem smooth and glabrous, racemosely branched or com- 

 pound ; leaves nearly all remotely appressed-serrulate, glabrous, acute or 

 acuminate, scabrous above ; the cauline ones narrowly lanceolate, elongated, 

 slightly clasping (not dilated) at the base ; those of the branches short, nu- 

 merous, ovate-lanceolate or oblong, somewhat clasping at the base, spread- 

 ing; heads (hardly middle-sized) simply racemose on the leafy branches, on 

 very short bracteate peduncles; involucre campanulate, somewhat shorter 

 than the disk ; the scales linear-lanceolate, acute, rather closely imbricated 

 in nearly 3 series, the exterior somewhat shorter. 



Near Boston, Dr. B. D. Greene ! Dr. Pickering ! (in herh. acad. Philad.) 

 — The specimens we have seen want the lower cauline leaves, and do not 

 afford sufficient information as to the size of the plant. The cauline leaves 

 in the specimens are 3-5 inches long, about half an inch broad, remotely ser- 

 rate with minute teeth, of a rather firm texture ; the veinlets of the lower 

 surface finely reticulated, but less conspicuously than in A. carneus ; the 

 upper surface very scabrous in one specimen, but slightly so in the other : 

 the leaves of the branches are pretty uniform throughout in size and shape, 

 6-12 lines long, lanceolate-ovate or elliptical, nearly all serrate like those of 

 the stem. Heads nearly the size of those of A. carneus /?. subasper,^ race- 

 mose or sometimes crowded along the slender ascending branches in a similar 

 manner ; the lower often shorter than the leaves from the axils of which 

 they rise. Scales of the involucre rather appressed, pale below, with a 

 greenish mid-nerve, more lax than in A. carneus, and with narrower and 

 sharper herbaceous tips. Rays rather short, broadly linear, apparently pur- 

 plish; the disk turning to rexldish-purple. Achenia minutely puberulent. 



********** Heads {middle-sized or large, shmmj) mostly corymbose or panicu- 

 late : scales of the involucre equal or somewhat unequal, more or kss imbricated, with 

 lax or spreading herbaccoxLS or foliaceous tips; the exterior frequently entirely herba- 

 ceous : aclienia pubescent or glabrous : rays usually large and numerous, blue or pur- 

 ple ; cauline leaves sessile, the upper •nwre or less clasping. — Salicifolii. 



+ Scales of the involucre erect or appressed, with mostly short (seldom squarrose) 

 herbaceous tips ; the exterior often entirely herbaceous. 



54. A. la.vus (Willd.) : stem glabrous, racemose-compound or decom- 

 pound; the branches loose and corymbose at the summit; the branchlets 



