W32 



SHOWY ASTER 



As'ter conspi'cuus 



Flower heads daisyliko, broadly bell- 

 shaped, about K in- wide, stalked, few 

 to many in a flat-topped or rounded 

 cluster 



Bracts in a several-rowed series (in- 

 volucre) around base of head, glandular- 

 hairy, sharp-pointed, with spreading, 

 green tips; outer bracts much shorter 

 than inner 



Outer (ray) flowers of heads narrow, 

 rather numerous, violet, about % in. 

 long 



Center (disk) flowers of heads yellow, 

 tubular 



"Seeds" (achenes) somewhat flat- 

 tened, finely hairy, crowned with nu- 

 merous, slender, white bristles (pappus) 



Leaves alternate, oblong or the lower 

 egg-shaped, rigid, pointed, generally 

 ample, up to 2% in. wide, 7 in. long, 

 with sharply toothed edges, somewhat 

 harsh, the bases slightly clasping 



Stems erect, up to 3K ft. high, stout, 

 rigid, leafy, solitary or tufted, some- 

 what harsh, mostly unbranched 



Rootstocks underground, creeping 

 Roots perennial, fibrous 



