Genus ji.] 



THISTLE FAMILY. 



381 



67. Aster vimineus L,ain. Small White 

 Aster. (Fig. 3801.) 



Aslcr ri mi Ileus Lara. Encycl. i: 306. 1783. 



AsUr Tradescanti T. & G. Fl. N. \. 2: 129. 1841. 



Not L. 1753- 



Glabrous or nearly so throughout; stem slender, 

 divergently branched, 2°-5° high. Stem leaves 

 linear-lanceolate, entire, or with a few low teeth, 

 3'-5' long, 2"-4" wide, acuminate at the apex, 

 narrowed to a sessile base, those of the branches 

 much smaller; heads very numerous, small, .^"-s" 

 broad, 2 "-3" high, generally densely racemose- 

 secund, short-pcduncled; involucre broadly turb- 

 inate, its bracts linear, acute or acutish, imbricated 

 in about ^ scries, green-tipped, appressed; rays 

 numerous, about 2" long, white; pappus white; 

 achenes minutely pubescent. 



In moist soil, Ontario to Florida, west to Minnesota 

 and Arkansas. .■Vug. -Sept. 

 Aster vimineus foliolosus (Ait.) A. Gray, Syn. Fl. i: 

 Part 2, 186. 18S4, 

 Asler foliolosus .\\t. Hort. Kew. 3: 203. 1789. 



Branches ascending, verj' leafy; heads paniculate, 

 scarcely secund, less den.sely clustered. Massachusetts to Virginia, Illinois and Missouri. 



Aster vimineus Columbianus Britton. 

 Minutely pubescent, 2°-4° high, the slender branches ascending; leaves linear to linear-lanceo- 

 late, 'those of the stem defle.xed; heads about i' broad; rays red-purple. Perhaps a distinct species. 

 District of Columbia to New York. 



Aster multiflorus Ait. 



Den.se-flovvered Aster. White Wreath Aster. 

 (Fig. 3802.) 



Aster multiflorus Ait. Hort. Kew. 3: 203. 1789. 

 Aster multiflorus var. stricticaulis T. & G. Fl. N. .\. 2. 



125, 1841. 



.Stem strict, much branched and bushy, rough- 

 pubescent or scabrous, :°-7° high, the branches 

 ascending or spreading. Leaves rigid, linear or 

 linear-oblong, entire, mostly obtuse, sessile or 

 slightly clasping at the base, rough and ciliate, 

 those of the stem '/i'-i'A' long, those of the 

 branches very small and crowded; heads 3"-4" 

 broad, densely crowded, nearly sessile, sometimes 

 slightly secund on the branches; involucre turbin- 

 ate, 2"-3" high, its bracts coriaceous, pubescent, 

 in 3 or 4 series, their short green tips obtuse or mu- 

 cronate, spreading; rays 10-20, white, l/^"-2" long; 

 pappus brownish white; achenes puberulent. 



In dry open places, Maine and Ontario to the North- 

 west Territorj- and British Columbia, south to Georgia, 

 Te.xas and Arizona, Called also Fall-flower. Aug.-Nov. 



Aster incanopilosus (Lindl.) Sheldon. 

 White Prairie Aster. (Fig. 3803.) 



Aster ramulosus v&r. incanofiilosus Lindl, in DC. Prodr. 



5: 243. 1S36. 

 Aster multifioritsy&r.commutatust. & G. Fl. N. .\. 2; 125. 



1 841. 

 Aster commulatus A. Gray, Syn. Fl. i: Part 2, 185, 1884. 

 A. incanopilosus Sheldon, Bull, Torr. Club, 20: 2S6. 1893. 



Similar to the precediug species, except in the in- 

 florescence, the stem rough-pubescent, or sometimes 

 nearly glabrous, i',i°-'2'A° high, with ascending or di- 

 vergent branches. Leaves linear or linear-oblong, ob- 

 tuse, entire, sessile or slightly clasping at the base, 

 those of the stem I'-j' long; heads larger than those 

 of , /, inultijlorus, 6"-S" broad, involucre 3"-4" high, 

 its bracts squarrose-tipped and sometimes foliaceous; 

 rays 20-30, about 3" long. 



On prairies and along rivers. Northwest Territory to 

 western Nebraska and Texas, west to Oregon, Utah and 

 New Me.vico, Aug.-Oct. 



