"^I- PLANT.E WEIGUTIANJE. 75 



of the Salado, Chihuahua, and near El Paso; April. (1395.)— A remarkably 

 dwarf, precociously flowering state of the species. 



M. CA]SESCENS, var. latifolia : scabro-pubescens vel puberula (viridi aut cinerea) ; 

 foliis oblongis seu lanceolatis multidentatis obtusis ; involucro squarroso, appendici- 

 bus subulatis. — Dieteria asteroides, Torr. in Emory, Rep. p. 142. Near the copper 



mines, New Mexico, and in Sonora near Deserted Rancho ; Sept., Oct. (1152.) 



Leaves from one third to two thirds of an inch wide ; the somewhat hemispherical 

 involucre half an inch in diameter. Rays mostly deep violet in the dried speci- 

 mens. 



M. PARViFLORA, Gmy, PI. Wright, p. 90. Valley west of the Chiricahui Moun- 

 tains, Sonora ; Sept. (1153.) 



PsiLACTis ASTEROIDES, Gray, PL Fendl. p. 72, ^ PI Wright, p. 91. On the Rio 

 Grande, near El Paso ; and in Sonora near the San Pedro. (1154.) 



Aster "? (Megalastrum ; pappi setae rigidse, complanatse, serrato-barbellata^) 

 Wrightii (sp. nov.) : suflrutescens, subviscoso-pubescens ; caulibus ramisve apice 

 nudis monocephalis ; foliis spathulatis integerrimis acumine setifero apiculatis in 

 petiolum marginatum attenuatis ; capitulo maximo ; involucri biseriali squamis 

 ovato-lanceolatis longe caudato-acuminatis. — Stony hills on the Rio Grande 60 or 

 70 miles below El Paso, near the canon through which passes the road to San An- 

 tonio ; March. — Unwilling to multiply the Asteroid genera, I append this remark- 

 ble plant to Aster, because if it had yellow rays I should not hesitate to refer it to 

 the analogous genus Aplopappus. Yet the rigid bristles of the pappus (which, 

 although stout and manifestly flattened under the lens, are still capillary), with so 

 strong a denticulation as to become almost barbellate, and the membranaceous, long- 

 acuminate scales of the involucre, taken Avith the rather peculiar habit, might justly 

 entitle it to rank as the type of a new genus. It has higher claims to such a rank 

 than Biotia, Heleastrum, &c. The involucre, as flattened in the dried specimens, is 

 over an inch in diameter; and the puberulent-glandular scales are from 6 to 10 

 lines long, including the acumination. Rays 30 to 40, rather broad, 8 or 9 lines 

 long, 2-3-toothed at the apex, purple, according to Mr, Wright. Receptacle 

 nearly flat, alveolate. Disk-corolla, stamens, &c. as in Aster ; so is the style, ex- 

 cept that the hispid appendages are rather short and obtuse. Ovaries compressed, 

 villous. Pappus white, similar in the disk and ray, about the length of the disk- 

 corollas, not very copious ; the bristles stouter even than in A. eryngiifolius, Torr. 

 8f Gr., manifestly flattened, taper-pointed, unequal, the smallest half the length of 

 the longer ones and more slender. Stems about a foot high, from a lignescent base, 

 angled. Leaves one to two inches long, including the tapering base -or petiole, 

 obscurely veined, 4 to 8 lines wide, abruptly mucronate-acuminate, and with the 

 point extended into a setiform cusp. — Unfortunately only two specimens were seen 

 in flower at the early season when it was discovered. It has doubtless been since 

 collected by Dr. Bigelow or Dr. Parry. 



Aster multiflorus, Ait. ; Torr. 8^ Gray, Fl. 2. p. 125 (fere ^). Stony hills 

 near the copper mines. New Mexico ; and near Santa Cruz, Sonora ; Aug., Sept. 

 (1155.) Also on prairies of Zoquetc Creek, Texas ; — a cinereous form, with small 



