Order 70.— COM POSIT JE. 425 



lva, growing ia fields, Mass. to La. St. rigid, brownish, 2 to 3f high, torete, 

 with numerous small hds. densely racemed and somewhat 1-sided on the erect- 

 spreading, slender branches. Lower st lvs. 4! long, gradually reduced in size 

 upwards. Rays pale purple. Aug. — Oct 



ji. fragims. Oauline lvs. serrulate or entire, short- hds. much scattered on 

 the branches. (A. fragilis Willd.) 



32 A. miser Ait T. & G. Starved Aster. SL raeemous-paniculate, hairy 

 or pubescent- lis. sessile, lanceolate, sharply serrate in the middle; invol. imbri- 

 cated with lance-linear, acutish scales; rays short — A very variable species, com- 

 mon in old field?, hedges, U. S. and Can, Iu height it varies from G to 30', and 

 in luxuriance proportionately to tho moisture or fertility of the soiL Tho st ia 

 very branching or nearly simple, bearing a large, compound, racemous panicle, or 

 a few simple racemes. Lvs. narrow-lanceolate, or broad-lanceolate, always ser- 

 rate, 1 to 5' in length. lids, usually numerous, small, with small, white or pur- 

 plish rays. Aug.— Oct (A. miser, divergens, diausus and pendulus Ait.) 



jl diffusus. Branches spreading, diffusa ^ lvs. elliptic-lanceolate, moro or 



less narrowly so, midveiu hairy beneath ; hds. often sessile, forming short, 



crowded spikes, or long, virgate ones. 

 y. iiirsuticaults. St hirsute; lvs. long and narrow, midvein hirsute; hds. 



racemous or spicate, upper ones in short, dense branches; scales linear. (A. 



hirsuticaulis LindL) 



33 A. multiflorus L. Grayish, pubescent; si. diffusely hranched; lvs. linear, 

 entire, sessile, obtuse-mucronate, margins subciliato ;./"&>'• small; invol. imbricate, 

 squarrous, linear or spatulate, with oblong, obtuse, ciliatc scales. — A very bushy As- 

 ter, high, with very numerous, small lis. crowded on the racemous branches, each If 

 with about 1 2 white rays spreading 5 to 6". Lvs. 1 to 2' long, obtuse, very narrow, 

 diminishing upwards to the scales. Rocks and dry fields, IT. S. Variable. Sept* 



34 A grandiflorus L. Rough with stiff hairs; st. rigid, branched, branches 

 somewhat corymbed and 1-Jbwered; lvs. linoar-spatulato or linear-oblong, small, 

 obtuse, rigid, subclasping; hds. very large; invol. squarrous, of numerous, obtuse, 

 rellexed scales, tho outer leafy. — Dr}', rocky places, Ya. to Ga. About 2f high. 

 Lvs. below 1 to 2* long, diminishing upwards. Rays showy, spreading IS to 20", 

 blue-purple. Sept — Nov. 



35 A. G'arolini arras Walt Rough-pubescent, divaricately branched; lvs. 

 iance-ovate or oblong, acute, entire, clasping, tho base abruptly produced into 

 small, auriculate lobes; hds. very hrgc, scattered; scales imbricate, with squar- 

 rous, spreading, green tips. — A showy Aster, very talL but s-lender, 6 to 13f high, 

 in damp thickets, S. Car. to Fla, Lvs. 1 to 3' long, 3 to 9" wide. Rays roso- 

 purple, numerous, spreading 15". Sept, Oct. 



36 A. oblongifolius Nutt SL rigid, diffusely branched, hairy; branches 

 spreading, with loose and irregular branchlets^ lis. oblong-lanceolate, acute, mu- 

 cronate, partly clasping, entire, rough-edged, or the branches and branchlets 

 gradually ptassinj into the leafy, lanceolate, subequal, spreading scales. — Prairies, Ac, 

 W, States. Plant 1 to 2f high, often glandular- viscid. Cauline lvs. 12 to 20" by 

 3 to 5"; those of tho branches G'' by 2", of tho branchlets 3'' by $", indistin- 

 guishable from the scales. Ray3 purple. Pappus brownish. Sept., Oct. (A 

 oblongifolius and A. graveolens Nutt.) 



37 A Ellidttii Torr. & Gr. Glabrous, stout; st angular; lvs. ample, lanceolate, 

 subclasping (not auricled), serrate, with remote, small, appressed teeth; hds. 

 middle size, corymbous-panieulatc; ped. naked; scales somewhat equal, linear-at- 

 tznuate, with spreading or recurved greenish tips. — River-swamps, N. Car. to Ga. 

 A very stout Aster, 2 to 4f high. Lower lvs. 6' to 8' long, narrowed to a winged 

 petiole, Rays narrow, bright purple. Pappus tawny-white. Oct., Nov. 



38 A virgittus E1L Glabrous; st and brandies virgate, strict, racemed; lvs. 

 linear-lanceolate, entire, half-clasping, margins ciliolate-serrulate, tho upper re- 

 duced, becoming subulate, erect, numerous on the branches and peduncles; scales 

 lauce-acuminate, the outer loose-spreading, graduating into the bracts; ach. glab- 

 rous. — Ga. to La. Sts. 2 to 3f high. Lvs. below, 3 to G' by 3 to G", firm and 

 shining. Sept., Oct. — Probably passes into tho nest 



39 A Novi Belgii L. New York Aster. St terete, stoat, often glaucous, 



