Aster. COMPOSIT.E. 163 



of G. hyssopifolia. If this view should prove incorrect, the name of A. subu- 

 latus, Michx. ought perhaps to be retained for this species rather than the 

 following, to which, however, it is more appropriate. There is no specimen 

 under the name of A. linifolius in the Linnsan herbarium ; and the plant 

 which, in the Species Plantarum, is cited from Gronovius (the Tripolium 

 flore unico caulem terminante, cujus radii purpurei et longi, &c., Clayt.) is 

 A. flexuosus, Nuit. 



* * * Scales of the invohicre in 2-3 scries : rays cxserted, in a single scries. 



123. A. divaricatus (Nutt. under Tripolium, not of Linn.) : annual, very- 

 glabrous; stem erect or ascending, ditrusely much branched, the branches 

 and branchlets slender ; leaves linear-subulate, very acute, with smooth or 

 minutely denticulate-scabrous margins; the lowermost narrowly linear, ta- 

 pering to the base ; those of the branches subulate, very small ; heads (small) 

 scattered, loosely paniculate ; scales of the turbinate-cylindraceous involucre 

 linear-subulate, very acute, membranaceous, unequal, imbricated in about 3 

 series; rays numerous in a single series, longer than the disk ; achenia sca- 

 braus-puberulent. — Tripolium (Astropolium) divaricatum, Nutt. ! in trans. 

 Amer. phil.soc. {n. ser.) 7. 2^. 296. T. subulatum, Nees, Ast. j)- 156 (part- 

 ly) ; DC. ! j^rodr. 5. p. 524, partly. Aster subulatus, Michx. ! fi. 2. p. 112, 

 in part. 



Salt marshes. South Carolina and Florida ! (Key West !) to Louisiana ! 

 and swamps in saline prairies of Western Louisiana ! Arkansas ! and Tex- 

 as ! Also in the West Indies ! and probably throughout tropical America, 

 &c. Sept.-Oct. — Stem 6 inches to 3 feet high, often diffusely branched 

 from the base, sometimes slightly scabrous on the angles; the slender branch- 

 lets spreading or divaricate. Radical or primordial leaves oval or lanceolate, 

 denticulate, petioled, thickish ; the cauline 2-4 inches long, 1-nerved, slen- 

 der, mostly 1-2 lines wide, tapering to a very sharp point; the upper succes- 

 sively shorter and tapering from the base ; those of the branchlets reduced to 

 subulate bracts. Heads one-third to one-half smaller than in the preceding 

 species. Scales of the involucre very narrow, greenish, with broad scarious 

 margins, tapering into very sharp points; the innermost as long as the disk. 

 Rays blue, always longer than the disk, and sometimes exserted nearly 

 the length of the involucre. Disk-flowers equaUing or exceeding in number 

 those of the ray. Appendages of the style lanceolate-subulate. Achenia 

 narrowly oblong, obscurely about 4-striate. Receptacle somewhat alveolate. 

 — The A. subulatus of Lessing (Sandwich Islands) has smaller heads, less 

 pointed scales of the involucre, and less exserted rays ; it is probably a dis- 

 tinct species. 



124. A. Oreoraniis (Nutt. under Tri]iolium) : stem rather tall, flexuous, 

 divaricately branched ; cauline leaves rather long, linear-sublanceolate, 

 nearly equal, acute, entire, scabrous on the margin ; scales of the involucre 

 linear-lanceolate, imbricate, slightly acute, herbaceous; rays narrow. 

 Nutt. — Tripolium Oreganum, Nutt. in trans. Amer. p/riZ. soc. (n. ser.) 

 7. p. 296. 



On the inundated banks of the Walilamet. — Flowers [heads] very in- 

 conspicuous, somewhat fastigiate. Nutiall. — This species has not come 

 under our examination. We are inclined (both from the description and the 

 habitat) to suppose it the same, perhaps, as the Tripolium subulatum /?. 

 Nees (Aster subulatus. Less.), from the Sandwich Islands. 



125. A. exilis (Ell.) : stem strict, slender, glabrous, with a few scattered 

 simple branches, bearing solhary or mostly racemose heads; leaves narrowly 

 linear, elongated, subulate-acute, entire, with the margins minute serrulate- 

 scabrous ; those of the branches much shorter ; scales of the involucre 

 lauceolate-linear, acute, unequal, imbricated in about 3 series ; rays (about 



