COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 219 



scurely crenate and narrowed into a petiole ; heads corymbose ; involucre 

 (whitish) obconical, as long as the disk ; the scales very unequal, acute, the 

 lower ones much shorter, greeii and slightly spreading at the tips. North 

 Carolina and Tennessee. Sept. Stem l-2 high. Leaves l'-2' long. 

 Heads smallest of this group. Kays about 12, violet. 



9. A. SUl'Culosus, Michx. Stems several from a creeping candex, slen- 

 der, pubescent above ; leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acute, smooth, the 

 margins rough and sometimes sparingly serrate, clasping; the lowe-t nar- 

 rowed into a petiole; heads solitary, or 3-5 in a simple corymb; involucre 

 broadly top-shaped, nearly as long as the disk; the scales liuear-spatulate, 

 with abruptly pointed spreading herbaceous tips; the outer ones lanceolate 

 and leaf-like. Low ground, Georgia to North Carolina. Sept. Stem | c - 

 l^high. Lowest leaves 4' - 6' long. Heads \' wide. Rays numerous, violet. 



10. A. Curtisii, Torr. & Gray. Smooth throughout ; stem simple, slen- 

 der ; leaves membranaceous, lanceolate, entire or slightly serrate, acuminate, 

 sessile ; heads in a simple or slightly compound terminal raceme; scales of the 

 involucre linear-spatulate, coriaceous, the green and spreading tips barely 

 acute; rays purple. Mountains of North Carolina. Stem 2 -3 high. 

 Leaves 3' -4' long. Heads i'-f in diameter. 



4. ASTER proper. Scales of the involucre imbricated in various degrees, 

 with herbaceous tips : rays numerous : achenia flattened : pappus of soft cap- 

 Ulan/ bristles, not thickened upward: autumnal plants. 



* 1. Leaves uniform, small, sessile, entire, silky or silver;/ on both sides, mucro- 

 nate: scales of the inrolucre imbricated in 3 several rows: rays violet-purple. 



11. A. seriCGUS, Vent. Stem with numerous branches, bearing the 

 large heads (single or 3 in a cluster) at their summits; leaves oblong-lanceo- 

 late, silverv ; scales of the involucre leafy and spreading ; achenia smooth. 

 A western species, a form of which, with narrower and less silvery leaves and 

 scales, occurs on the mountains of Georgia and Tennessee. Stem 10' -20' 

 high Leaves \' - 1' long. Heads showy. 



12. A. COncolor, L. Stem mostly simple, slender, bearing towards the 

 summit, the middle-sized heads in a long often compound raceme ; leaves 

 lanceolate, silky when young; the lowest ones oblong; scales of the obovoid 

 involucre lanceolate, appressed. the subulate tips spreading; achenia silky. - 

 Dry sandy soil, Florida, and northward. Root sometimes tuberous. Stem 

 1 - .3 high. Leaves erect, -' - 1' long. 



* 2. Leaves rough, all sessile or clasping and entire: heads chiefly sol! tart/, ter- 



minat/ni/ tJie brnnch^eta : scales of the oboroid or bell-shaped involucre imbri- 

 cated in se reral roirs, coriaceous, with herbaceous slightly spreading tips: 

 rays purplish blue : achenia hairy. 

 < Leaves vert/ small, sessile: heads small : scales of the involucre spat/date. 



13. A. squarrosus, Walt. Stem slender, diffuse; leaves oblong or 

 triangular-ovate, renexed, very rough, sessile; the lowest spatulate. Dry 

 soil, Florida to North Carolina. Stem l-2 high. Lowest leaves ' long, 

 the others 2" -3" long. 



