230 FAMILIAR FLOWERS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 



centers. The wavy-edged leaves have a variety of 

 forms as they grow along the reddish stem ; the 

 lowest ones are heart-shaped, and the upper ones 

 have singularly flaring stems which clasp the main 



stalk of the plant ; and 

 those which adjoin the 

 flower stems are small 

 and sharply pointed. 

 Tliis variety flowers 

 early in August. 



A. spectahilis is one 

 of the prettiest of the 

 Aster family, although 

 its flower heads are 

 few. It grows along 

 the coast between I^ew 

 Hampshire and New 

 Jersey, where the sandy 

 soil is quite to its liking. 

 The flower rays are 

 bright purple and nearly 

 an inch long ; although 

 in many instances much 

 shorter, these beautiful rays, perhaps sixteen to twenty 

 in number, bring the diameter of the flower to a size 

 equivalent to that of a silver dollar. This is a late 

 variety, and flowers from September to November. 



A. Undulatus. 



