198 COMPOSlTyli. (cOMrOSITE FAMILY.) 



3. S. tortifolius, Nccs. Closely pubescent ; leaves short, ol)ovatc, raa-Iv 

 serrate, vertical ; involucre top-shaped ; the scales oblong and slightly sprcailin<' 

 at the tips; pappus copious, white. (Aster tortifolius, MicLr ) — Sandy j)ino 

 barrens, Florida to North Carolina, and westward. August. — Stem l°-i:° 

 high. Leaves 1' long. 



16. ASTER, Tuurn. AsTicit. Stauwout. 



Heads many-flowcrcd ; the rays (white, blue, or puri)le) in a single scries, pis- 

 tillarc. Scales of the involucre more or less imbricated, mostly witli herbaccou'i 

 or leafy lips. Keceptaclc flat, pitted. Achcnia usually compressed. Pappus a 

 single row of numerous rough capillary bristles. — I'ercnnial (rarely annua!) 

 herbs. Leaves alternate. Disk-flowers yellow, often changing to puqjlc. 

 ^ 1. BioTiA. — Involucre ohovate-bcll-sliaped ; the scales {pale) closelij imbricated, 

 and marl J destitute of hcrl>accous tips: achcnia somewhut S-amjhd: bristles of the 

 jiappus rii;id : Icarts lanjc ; the lower ones cordate: heads corjmhcd. 



1 A. COrymbosus, Ait. Stem slender, smooth; leaves on slender peti- 

 oles, thin, coarsely serrate, acuminate ; the lower ones cordate, the upper oblong ; 

 involucre shorter than the disk, the scales obtuse; rays G-9, wiiite. — Shady 

 woods in the upper districts, Georgia and northward. Sept. and Oct. — Stem 

 l°-2°high. Leaves 2' -4' long. Corymbs loose. 



2. A. macrophyllus, L. Stem stout, rough-pubescent ; leaves large, 

 rather thick, rough, nuicronate-serrate, acute ; tiie lowest broadly cordate, on 

 slender naked ])etiolcs ; the upper ovate, on short and winged petioles ; invo- 

 lucre nearly as long as the disk ; the exterior scales rigid, with spreading fi'inged 

 tips; rays about 10, j)alc purple. — Low shady woods, in the upper districts of 

 Georgia, and along the mountains, northward. Sept. — Stem li°-2° high. 

 Leaves 4'- 6' long, 2' -4' wide. 



^ 2. Cai-i.ia.strum. — Scales of the involucre imbricated in several rows, coriaceotta, 

 usiialli/ with hcrbacfous sprcadtnf] tips: raijs 12 or viore: achenia ncarhj smooth: 

 pappus of nnerpud rather rir/id brisllts, somcichat thickened upward : leaves rigid, 

 none of t/icm cordate : heads lanje and sliowij. 



3. A. mirabilis, Torr. & Gray. Rough-pubescent ; stem coryinboscly 

 branclied above; leaves ovate, mucronate-serrate, sessile; the lowest abruptly 

 narrowed into a petiole ; invoIucVc hemispherical; the scales oblong-linear, ob- 

 tuse and recurved at the summit; achenia nearly smooth, striate. — Columbia, 

 South Carolina, Prof. Gibbcs. Sept. — Stem \°-2° high. — Stem-leaves l'-3' 

 long. Rays about 20, blue or violet, elongated. 



4. A. Bpcctabilis, Ait. Stem corymbose and glandular-pubescent above ; 

 leaves oI)l()ng-I:uircolatc, rough on tiie uiiju'r surface, sessile and cnlirt;; tho 

 lowest tapering into a ]>ctiolc, and sparingly scixate ; heads not numerous, single, 

 terminating the braiulies ; involucre nearly luinis|>herical, as long as the disk; 

 tho scales linear-oblong, with obtuse and spreading ghuulular tips. (.V. .«urcu- 

 losus ? Kll., with obovate-oblong, mostly serrate leaves, and i)roadcr scales of tho 

 involucre.) — I'ine barrens, Florida and northward. Sept. and Oct. — Rhizoma 

 slender. Stem l°-2° hii:h. Leaves 2' -4' long. Heads J' in diameter. Rays 

 otK)ut 20, I' long, deep violet. 



