﻿Bicknell: Ferns and flowering plants of Nantucket 567 



* Aster vimineus Lam. 



In damp places in fields and open ground, rather scarce, the 

 var. foliolosus Gray occasional. Just in flower September 4, 

 1904; not yet in bloom September 12, 1907. 



* Aster lateriflorus (L.) Britton. 



Frequent or rather common in thickets on the eastern side 

 of the island. Small green flower buds August 13, 1906; just in 

 bloom September 11, 1907. 



In the ordinary shade forms the leaves may be thin and 

 coarsely cut-serrate, becoming over 2.5 cm. broad, or narrow, 

 and entire or nearly so. In more open thickets the plant becomes 

 taller, sometimes 1.2 m. high, with the openly wide spreading or 

 drooping branches 4-5 dm. long — var. pendulus Burgess; forms 

 similar to this growing in sunnier places are sometimes almost 

 grayish puberulent in their upper parts, and have linear-lanceolate 

 and rather roughish leaves, and narrower involucral bracts than 

 the more glabrate shade forms. Other forms agree closely with 

 specimens labeled by Professor Burgess var. horizontalis (Desf.). 



* Aster multiflorus Ait. 



Very common in dry fields and along roadsides as well as in 

 the town streets. Here and there a plant showing its earliest 

 flowers September 12, 1907. At certain localities on exposed 

 levels near the south shore many dwarf plants grow firmly pros- 

 trate on the parched soil blooming no less profusely than the 



* Aster Pringlei (A. Gray) Britton. 



One of the surprises of Nantucket. A numerous colony 

 established along the face of the low clayey bank back of the 

 beach at Siasconset, south of the settlement, in full flower August 

 30, 1904; much of it past flowering September 15, 1907. 



It was so unexpected to find this aster on the seaboard, and 

 at the latitude of Nantucket, that I have been particular to have 

 its identity confirmed by Professor Burgess. It is perfectly 

 typical and closely matches authentic material from Vermont, 

 Michigan and Wisconsin. 



Note. — If Aster ericoides L. occurs on Nantucket it is yet to 



