Late August and Early September 



nificance of the scientific title of the genus 

 Aster is easily appreciated, for the effect 

 of its flowers is peculiarly star-like. 



The red -purple clusters of the iron- 

 weed are often mistaken for asters by 

 those who are not sufficiently observant 

 to notice that its flower-heads are com- 

 posed entirely of tubular blossoms, being 

 without the ray-flowers which are essen- 

 tial to an aster. In the iron-weed the 

 involucre of little leaf- like scales which 

 always surrounds the flower - head of a 

 Composite, and which is commonly con- 

 sidered a calyx by the unbotanical, is 

 usually of a purplish tint, each little scale 

 being tipped with a tiny cusp or point. 

 Its alternate leaves are long and narrow, 

 and its tough stem is responsible for its 

 common name. Its scientific title, Ver- 

 nonia, was bestowed in honor of an Eng- 

 lish botanist who travelled in this coun- 

 try many years ago. 



In the rich woods the flat-topped flower 



