140 COMPOSITiE. Aster. 



rially differ from it. Another, the A. longifolius rj. albiflorus, DC. (A. 

 eminens v. Nees, I. c. A. virgineus, Nees, synops.), has white rays, rarely 

 verging to reddish-violet, and more scabrous as well as broader leaves : from 

 this the A. eminens var. virgineus, Lindl. hot. rcg. t. 1656, is said to differ 

 in the coarsely serrate upper leaves, and the erect scales of the involucre. — 

 The plant varies from 2 to 5 feet high : the leaves, of a rather firm texture, 

 are pale and very smooth below, usually shining above and reticulated ; the 

 lower often 5 or 6 inches long, 3-7 lines wide, tapering to a long sharp point, 

 and also usually narrowed towards the base ; either entire, or sparingly 

 serrate with sharp spreading teeth. The heads are barely middle-sized, but 

 showy : the rays light blue. The scales of the involucre in our plant, as in 

 several of the cultivated forms before us, are narrowly linear, loose, in 

 about 3 series, nearly equal; the long and slender green tips recurved- 

 spreading. Those of var. (i. are more unequal, broader, more obtuse, loose, 

 but less spreading. Achenia minutely pubescent. — A. squarrulosus, iVees, 

 has apparently been derived from this species. 



62. A. Elliottii : stem stout, very smooth and glabrous, the upper portion 

 and the paniculate branches minutely and softly pubescent in decurrent 

 lines ; leaves somewhat coriaceous, smooth beneath, more or less scabrous 

 above, serrate with appressed mucronulate teeth ; the cauliue ones oblong- 

 lanceolate or spatulate-lanceolate, somewhat acuminate, tapering into an 

 attenuate base (like a margined petiole), partly clasping but not dilated at 

 the insertion ; those of the branches short, spatulate, oblong, or oval-lanceolate, 

 serrulate; heads (middle-sized) corymbose-paniculate; scales of the obovate 

 involucre linear-subulate, somewhat equal, numerous, in about 3 series, 

 nearly the length of the disk, their summits usually spreading or recurved ; 

 rays numerous, slender. — A. puniceus. Ell. ! sk. 2. ]}• 255, (excl. spec, char.) 



Margin of rivers, in the low country of Georgia and South Carolina, 

 Elliott! Miss Clay! North Carolina, Mr. Croom! Mr. Curtis! Oct.-Nov. — 

 A stout plant, 2-3 feet high, with a somewhat angled stem, and numerous 

 often crowded and rather simple flowering branches ; the heads either 

 racemed, or more commonly paniculate or corymbose at the summit. 

 Cauline leaves 4-6 inches long, an inch or less in width, of a rigid texture, 

 pale when dry, and not lucid, with a very strong midrib ; those of the 

 branches small, much less tapering at the base, abruptly acuminate or 

 mucronate-acuminate, nearly all serrulate with sharp closely appressed 

 teeth. Scales of the involucre very narrow (narrower than in any state of 

 A. puniceus) and acute, somewhat ciliate, all similar. Rays long and 

 narrow, " bright purple" (Ell.), iu dried specimens appearing reddish- 

 purple or pink ; the disk-flowers apparently not changing to purple. Ache- 

 nia very slightly pubescent under a lens. Pappus tawny when old. — We 

 cannot ascertain that this species has been noticed by any author except 

 Elliott, who has in fact described it as a distinct species, under A. puniceus. 

 It should be ])laced between the latter and A. Novi-Belgii, which it more 

 nearly resembles in the foliage, while the involucre, rays, &c. are very 

 different. We have never observed the young leaves ^jubescent, as described 

 by Elliott. 



63. A. puniceus (Linn.) : stem hispid, stout, paniculate above ; leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, clasping by a more or less auriculate base, acuminate, 

 serrate in the middle with mucronate-acute mostly appressed teeth, scabrous 

 above, usually smooth and glabrous beneath (exce])t the sometimes scabrous- 

 hispid midrib) ; heads (pretty large) racemose or paniculate towards the 

 summit of the leafy branches; scales of the involucre narrowly linear or 

 subulate-linear, acute, loose, equal, in about 2 series, as long as the disk, 

 more or less spreading ; a few of the exterior (especially in the terminal 

 heads) often broader, more foliaceous (linear-lanceolate) and bracteolate ; 



