3^2 COMPOSITAE. 



Aster tenuifolius L. Perennial Salt-marsh Aster 



[Vol. III. 



(Fig. 3804.) 



As/er lenuifotius L. Sp. PI. 873. 1753. 

 Aster Jlexuosus Nutt. Gen. 2: 154. 181S. 



Perennial, glabrous and fleshy; stem flexiious, 

 striate, at least when dry, sparingly and loosely 

 branched, i°-2° high. Stem leaves linear, en- 

 tire, acute, sessile or partly clashing at the base, 

 the lowest lanceolate-linear, 2'-6' long, 2"-3" 

 wide, those of the branches minute, bract-like, 

 oppressed; heads rather few, 6"-i2" broad, 

 terminating the branches; involucre turbinate, 

 about 4" high, its bracts lanceolate, acuminate 

 or niucronate, glabrous, green on the back or 

 tip, appressed, imbricated in about 5 scries, the 

 outer shorter; rays numerous, longer than the 

 pappus, pale purple or nearly white; pappus 

 tawny; achenes hispid-pubescent, 5-nerved. 



In salt marshes, coast of Massachusetts to Flor- 

 ida. .Vug. -Oct. 



71. Aster exilis Ell. Slim Aster. 

 (Fig. 3805.) 



Aster exilis Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 2: 344. 

 Aster divaricatus T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 163. 



1824. 

 1841. 



Xot L. 1753- 



.•\nnual, glabrous, fleshy; stem slender, usually much 

 branched, the brauches usually divergent. Leaves linear 

 to linear-lanceolate, i'-4' long, i"-2/4" wide, entire, 

 sessile, acute or acuminate, or the lowest narrowly ob- 

 long, 5"-4" wide and pctioled, those of the branches 

 subulate; heads numerous, panicled, about 5" broad; in- 

 volucre campanulate, about 3" high, its bracts linear- 

 subulate, appressed, imbricated in 3 or 4 series; rays pur- 

 plish, about 2" long, mostly fewer than the disk- flowers, 

 longer than the pappus; achenes somewhat pubescent. 



In moist or wet soil, especially in saline situations, Kansas 

 to Te.xas, South Carolina and Florida. .\ug.-Oct. 



Aster subulatus Michx. Annual Salt-marsh Aster. (Fig. 3S06.) 



Aster siibvlalns Mich.';. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: iii. 1S03. 

 Aster linifolius T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 162. 1S41. 

 Not L. 1753. 



Annual,glabrous and fleshj'; stem paniculately 

 branched, flexuous above, i°-6° high, slightly 

 angled, sometimes i' in diameter at the base, 

 but usually smaller. Stem-leaves linear-lanceo- 

 late, acute, entire, sessile hy a broad or slightly 

 clasping base, 2'-io' long, i"-S" wide, those of 

 the branches very small and subulate; heads 

 numerous, 3"-5" broad; involucre campanulate, 

 or at length hemispheric, 2"-3" high, its bracts 

 linear-subulate, green, imbricated in 3 or 4 series, 

 the outer shorter; rays 20-30, purplish, scarcely 

 exceeding the nearly white pappus, more numer- 

 ' ous than the disk-flowers; achenes compressed, 

 minutely pubescent. 



In salt marshes, coast of New Hampshire to 

 Florida. .\ug.-Nov. 



