COMPOSITE. 190 



§ § Leaves lanceolate and ovate, the lower conspicuously serrate. 

 * * Heads paniculate. 



11. A. Tradesca'nti. 



Branches virgate, paniculate ; leaves lanceolate, remotely serrate, sessile, 

 smooth; invohicre closely imbricate; slem round, slender, smooth. A fine 

 species, witJi numerous leaves, growing in fields. Stem rigid, brownish, 

 about 3 fi?et high, with numerous slender, racemose branches. Lower stem- 

 leaves narrowly lanceolate, 4 inches long, gradually reduced in size upwards. 

 Heads small, nuuierous, with pale-purple rays. Aug. — Oct. 



TradcscanV s Aster. 



12. A. MISER. T.S^G. (A.miser, divergens, diffusus and pendulus. Ait.) 



6'^em racemose-paniculate, hairy or pubescent; leaves sessile, lanceolate, 

 sharply serrate in the middle ; involucre imbricated with acute scales ; rays 

 short. A very variable species common in old fields, hedges, &c. Jn hight 

 it varies from (3 to 30 inches, and in luxuriance proportionately to the moisture 

 or fi^rtility of the soil. The stem is very branching or nearly simple, bearing 

 a large, compound, racemose panicle or a few simple racemes. Leaves vary- 

 ing from narrow-lanceolate to broad-oval, 1 — 5 inches in length. Heads 

 usually numerous, small, with small white or purple rays. Starved Aster. 



/3. (Z//fwsMs ; ira?ic//cs spreading, diffuse ; Ze«»cs elliptic-lanceolate, more or 

 less narrowly so ; heads often sessile, forming short, crowded spikes, or long 

 virgate ones. Stem hairy, as well as the raid-rib of the leaves beneath. 



13. A. SIMPLEX. Wllld. 



Stem racemose-paniculate above, smooth ; leaves linear lanceolate, entire, 

 smooth, the lower ones seriate towards the end; involucre loose, imbricate, 

 the scales acute, spreading at their points. Another variable species, found 

 in low grounds. Stem 2 — 5 feet high. Leaves 2 — 4 inches long, sessile, 

 rough-margined, narrow-acute. Flowers on long stalks, middle size. Sept. 



WiUoiD-leavcd Aster. 



p. {T. ^ G.) hronches hirsute or pubescent; heads above the middle size, 

 with blue rays. Stem 4 — 6 feet high. 



y. (T. ^ G.), branches pubescent, with short, crowded spikes of small 

 heads ; rays pale blue. 



14. A. tenuifo'lius. 



Stem smooth, erect, paniculate-branching, with 1-flowered branchlets; 

 leaves linear-lanceolate, tapering at each end. long-acuniinale, entire, with 

 roughish margins, the lower ones often serrate in the middle ; involucrt scales 

 lax,°acute. Grows in moist fields. Stem 2 — 4 inches long, tliose of the 

 branches and branchlets proportionately smaller. Heads small with numerous 

 (30— 30), long, pale-purple rays. Sept. J\~arroic-leaved Aster. 



15. A. PUNl'CEUS. 



Stern hispid, paniculate ; leaves amplexicaul and more or less auriculate at 

 base, lanceolate, serrate, roughish abova ; involucre loose, longer than the 

 disk, the scales linear-lanceolate, long and revolute, nearly equal, and 2-ro wed. 

 A large handsome Aster common in swamps and ditches, sometimes in dry 

 soils. Stem 4 — G feet high, generally red, (at least on the south side), 

 furrowed, hispid. Lower leaves with remote serratures, rough-edged and 

 rouoh on the upper surface, ail accuminate and narrowed at base. Flowers 

 le,r<re and showy. Rays 50 — 80, long and narrow, pale purple. Aug — Oct. 



Rcd-stalkcd Aster. 



