Aster. LXXV. COMPOSITiE. 321 



cept the mid-vein beneath ; branch leaves few and much smaller. Heads mid- 

 dle-size, with 10 — 15 bluish purple rays. Sept. — Nov. 



14. A, PUNicEUs. Red-stalked Aster. 



St. hispid, paniculate ; lis. amplexicaul and more or less auriculate at 

 base, lanceolate, serrate, roughish above ; i7ivol. loose, longer than the disk, 

 the scales linear-lanceolate, long and revolute, nearly equal and 2-rowed. — A 

 large, handsome aster, common in swamps and ditches, sometimes in dry soils, 

 N. States and Can. Stem 4 — 6i: high, generally red, (at least on the south side), 

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

 on the upper surface, all acuminate and narrowed at base. Flowers large and 

 showy. Rays 50 — 80, long and narrow, pale purple. Aug. — Oct. 



15. A. PRENANTHoiDEs. Muhl. Prenanthes-Uke Aster. 



St. hairy or pubescent above, corymbose-paniculate ; Ivs. oval-lanceolate, 

 serrate, acuminate, attenuate at base into a long winged petiole which is au- 

 riculate at the insertion ; invol. imbricated with several rows of linear, green- 

 tipped, spreading scales. Grows in low woods, N. Y. to Ky. Stem 2 — 3f high, 

 with a terminal, corymbose panicle of large heads on short peduncles. Rays 

 showy, pale blue. — Leaves remarkable for the long, winged petiole, which is 

 dilated at its base into rounded, auriculate segments. Branch leaves smaller, 

 nearly entire. Sept. — Nov. 



16. A. AMETHYSTiNus. Nutt. Amcthystiiie Aster. 



Hirsute ; 5^. racemose-paniculate ; Ivs. linear-lanceolate, entire, rough, 

 acute, with somewhat auriculate appendages at the clasping base ; invol. of 

 equal scales. — Eastern Mass., Nuttall, &^. Heads small, with azure rays. 

 Aug. — Oct. 



17. A. NovjE AnglijE. New England Aster. 



Fls. terminal, crowded, somewhat fastigiate ; st. hispid, paniculate ; Ivs. 

 linear-lanceolate, amplexicaul, auriculate at base; scales of involucre equal, lax, 

 linear-lanceolate, rather longer than the disk. — A large and beautiful aster, in 

 fields, meadows and shades, more common in the W. States ! than in N. Eng. ! 

 Stem 4 — 6f high, straight, erect, viscidly hairy, colored. Leaves very numer- 

 ous, narrow, entire, with 2 auricular appendages at base. Flowers large, in a 

 kind of loose, paniculate corymb. Ray-flowers deep purple, numerous (75 — 

 100). Sept. t 



* * * Leaves neither cordate nor auriculate, the margin serrate. 

 t Scales not spreading. 



18. A. Tradescanti. TradcscanVs Aster. 



Branches virgate, paniculate; Ivs. lanceolate, remotely serrate, sessile, 

 smooth ; invol. closely imbricate ; 5/. round, slender, smooth. — A fine species, 

 with numerous leaves, growing in fields, Mass. to La. Stem rigid, brownish, 

 about 3f high, with numerous slender, racemose branches. Lower stem-leaves 

 narrowly lanceolate, 4' long, gradually reduced in size upwards. Heads small, 

 numerous, with pale purple rays. Aug. — Oct. 



0. frag His. T. & G. (A. fragilis. Wllld.) Cauline leaves serrulate or entire, 

 short ; heads much scattt-red on the branches. 



19. A. MISER. Ait. T. «fcG. (A. miser, divergens, diflii.^us and pendulus. 

 Ait.) Starved Aster. — St. racemose-paniculate, hairy or pubescent ; Ivs. 



sessile, lanceolate, sharply serrate in the middle; invol. imbricated with acute 

 scales; rays short. — A very variable species common in old fields, hedges, U.S. 

 and Can. In height it varies from G to 30', and in luxuriance proportionately 

 to the moisture or fertility of the soil. The stem is very branching or nearly 

 simple, bearing a large, compound, racemose panicle or a few simple racemes. 

 Leaves varying from nnrrow-laiireolate to broad-oval, 1 — 5' in length. Heads 

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



a. diffusus. Drancbrs .'spreading, dilluse; Ivs. elliptical-lanceolate, more or 

 less narrowly so, midvein hairy beneath; -^^.s-, oUen .sessile, forming short, 

 crowded spikes or long virgate ones. 



y. hirsuticaiilis. T. & G. (A. hirsutirnulis. Lhidl.) St. hirsute; Ivs. long 



