COMPOSITiE. 193 SERIOCARPUS. 



§ § § Leaves entire (the lowest rarely subserrate), f f cauline ones mostly 

 linear and sessile. ** Heads paniculate. 



28. A. ericoi'des. 



Nearly or quite smooth; branches virgate, spreading, paniculate; leaves 

 linear or linear-lanceolate, very smooth, those of the branches subulate and 

 approximate, short, of the stem long, of the root oblong, spathulate ; involucre 

 somewhat squarrose. Grows in rocky fields. Stem 1 — 3 feet high, with 

 numerous brittle branches and branchlets forming a thick bush and terminated 

 each by a single pale-purple flower. Leaves rather numerous, the cauline 

 ones 3 inches in length. Heads small, about 20-rayed. Sept. Heath-like Aster. 



29. A. multiflo'rus. 



Hairy or pubescent; s^eni difFusely branched ; leaves linear, entire, sessile, 

 pubescent, margins subciliate ; involucre imbricate, squarrose, linear or 

 spathulate, with oblong, ciliate scales. A very branching, diffuse species with 

 very numerous, small flowers crowded on the racemose branches, each with 

 about 12 white rays. Stem variously pubescent,! — 2 feet high. Leaves 1 — 2 

 inches long, obtuse, very narrow. Rocks and dry fields. Variable. Sept. 



Many-jiowered Aster. 



30. A. DUMO'SUS. 



Nearly smooth ; branches racemose-panicled ; leaves numerous, smooth, 

 linear, sessile, entire or subserrate, those of the branches very short; involucre 

 cylindrical, closely imbricate. About 2 feet high, in dry shades and borders 

 of woods. Stem much branched, smooth or slightly pubescent, with long, 

 linear leaves, those of the branches smaller and becoming very minute. — 

 Heads middle sized, scattered, solitary, with about 24 purplish white rays. 

 Variable. Sept. Buslnj Aster. 



/i. foliosus ; ?ea»es linear-lanceolate, tapering at each end, acute; branches 

 few-flowered, somewhat racemed ; involucre with linear, acute, appressed 

 scales. 



31. A. LINIFO'LIUS. L. A. subulatus. Mx. 



Stem paniculate, much branched from the base ; leaves long, linear, very 

 acute, the uppermost subulate ; involucre cyVindnc wlih subulate scales; radi- 

 cal heads minute. An annual species, found in salt mar-hes. Stem 12 — 18 

 inches high, very smooth, thick, reddish. Leaves smooth, sessile. The plant 

 is very branching, with numerous short-rayed, small, purple flowers. Aug. 

 — Nov. Sea Aster. 



10. SERIOCA'RPUS. 



Heads few-flowered; raj flowers 4 — G, pistillate; disk fls. 

 6 — 10, perfect; involucre oblong, imbricated; scales appres- j 

 sed, with green, spreading tips; receptacle alveolate ; acheni- ' 

 um obconic, very silky ; pappus simple. 



Gr. <rriQiKOi, silken, Kct^Toi, fruit; on account of the densely silken ache- 

 nia. Perennial herbs, with alternate leaves and close corymbs. Rays white, 



1. S. SOLIDAGI'NEUS. .Yees. Aster solidaginoides. Mx. 



Smooth ; corijmb fastigiate ; heads aggregate, sessile, few-flowered, 5-rayed ; 

 scales obtuse, whitish, with green tips; icarci- linear-lanceolate, obtuse, entire, 



