64 SWISS FLOWERS. 



mon in the forests of Valais, Scliwyz, and the Grisons ; Tete 

 Noire, Valley of Roseg, and near Sils in the Engadine. So 

 abundant is it in the neighbourhood of Pontresina that the 

 woods are scented by it. 



45. Aster. 



(PLATE XX VL) 

 The name and shape of the Aster are very well known 

 with us, but the only wild flower we have which approaches 

 A. Alpinus (Fig. 45) is the Sea-Aster found in Salt- 

 Marshes. The growth of this resembles its friends of the 

 Swiss mountains, but its fleshy leaves, and something which 

 reminds us of marshy ground, make it far less pleasing 

 than the very pretty purple plant which adorns the high 

 pastures of Switzerland. This plant has the form and 

 colour of Michaelmas-Daisies, but is free from a certain 

 commonness which marks them. The Asters belong to the 

 Composite or Syngenesia family. The united florets of 

 their yellow disc, or middle part, are all perfect, being fur- 

 nished with stamens and pistils; those of the purple ray 

 have pistils only ; they grow on a one-flowered stalk, a foot 

 or a foot and a half high, with alternate lanceolate leaves 

 up the stem. The flowers are about two inches across, the 

 lower leaves are spatulate, with more or less down-like hair. 



