154 COMPOSITE. 



latter, as much of their legginess will be concealed by the 

 shrubs. There are a few species fitted for rockwork, though 

 by no means requiring that position, as they do equally well on 

 the ground surface. The few selected species embrace some 

 of the best and most distinct, but they do not exhaust the num- 

 ber of ornamental plants comprised in the group. 



A. alpinus {Alpine Star-7iwrt). — This is a neat dwarf plant, 

 about 9 inches high. The leaves are broadly lance-shaped, 

 increasing in width somewhat towards the points. The flower- 

 heads, on short stems singly, are large and spreading, pale 

 purplish-blue. Native of mountain pastures on the Alps and 

 Pyrenees. Flowers from May till August. A handsome border 

 or rock plant. There is a handsome white-flowered variety, 

 not nearly so plentiful, named A. a. albus. 



A. amellus {lialian Star-wort). — This species grows about 2 

 feet high, with erect, rather rigid stems, generally unbranched 

 till near the top, when they break out into the few-flowered 

 corymbs. The leaves are oblong, lance-shaped, and slightly 

 rough, with stout short hairs. The flower-heads are produced 

 in an irregular open corymb, are pale blue, and appear in Au- 

 gust, September, and October. Native of mountain pastures in 

 central and southern Europe. An excellent border-plant. 



A. discolor, syns. A. versicolor and A. bicolor ( Two-coloured 

 Star-wort). — This plant grows about 18 inches high, in neat 

 compact style. The leaves are broadly lance -shaped and 

 slightly toothed. The flower-heads are white and reddish pur- 

 ple, and are produced in open corymbs, appearing in August and 

 September. Native of North America. This is one of the best 

 of the species, and is an excellent mixed-border ornament. 



A. elegans {Elegant Star-wort). — This species grows about 

 2 feet high, in rather graceful, freely-branching habit. The 

 leaves are oblong or lance-shaped, and slightly rough to the 

 touch. The flower-heads are not of the largest, but they are 

 most profuse in graceful open panicles, and are bright blue or 

 purple. Flowers from August onwards for a month or two. 



A. ericoides {Heath-leaved Star-woi't). — This is a tall, rather 

 straggling plant, about 3 feet high, but withal graceful. The 

 leaves on the upper part of the stems are very narrow and 

 awl-shaped, and being very numerous and closely packed, the 

 branches become not unlike those of some of the heaths. The 

 flower-heads are small individually, but very numerous in open 

 graceful panicles, and are white. Flowers in September and 

 October. Native of North America. The plant is well worth 

 a place in back lines of mixed borders, and may be used with 

 excellent results amongst masses of shrubs. 



