CARDUACEAE 1227 



92. Aster salicifolius Lam. Stem 6-15 dm. high, rather slender, paniculately much 

 branched, usually very leafy, glabrous, or somewhat pubescent above : leaf-blades some- 

 what firm, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 5-10 cm. long, rough-margined, acute or acumi- 

 nate, narrowed and sessile or slightly clasping at the base, entire or sparingly dentate with 

 low teeth, glabrous or nearly so, those of the lower leaves sometimes with petiole-like 

 bases, those of the branches gradually smaller : heads numerous, 16-25 mm. broad : invo- 

 lucre broadly turbinate ; bracts linear-oblong, appressed, imbricated in 4 or 5 series, their 

 green tips acute or obtuish : ray -flowers numerous ; ligules violet, or violet-purple, or some- 

 times white, 6-8 mm. long : pappus white : achenes minutely pubescent. 



In moist soil, Maine and Ontario to Massachusetts and Florida, west to Montana, Missouri, Okla- 

 homa, and Texas. Late summer and fall. The following forms are distinguishable : A. salicifolius 

 subdsper (Lindl.) A. Gray: stem scabrous; leaves more or less so. Indiana to Missouri, Louisiana 

 and Texas. A. salicifolius caerutescens (DC.) A. Gray : strict and rigid ; leaves all entire; inflorescence 

 more naked ; heads larger ; bracts narrower, acute. Rocky banks, Texas. 



93. Aster ptarmicoides (Nees) T. & G. Stems tufted, 3-6 dm.'high, slender, rigid, 

 usually rough above, corymbosely branched near the summit : leaf-blades linear-lanceolate, 

 3-ribbed, entire, or with a few distant teeth, firm, shining, rough-margined or ciliate, 

 sometimes scabrous, acute, narrowed to a sessile base, or those of the lower leaves petioled ; 

 the lowest and basal ones 7-15 cm. long, the upper smaller, those of the branches linear- 

 subulate : heads 16-25 mm. broad, terminating the branches of the corymb : involucre 

 nearly hemispheric, 4-6 mm. high ; bracts linear-oblong, obtuse, appressed, nearly green, 

 imbricated in about 4 series : ray-flowers 10-20 ; ligules snow-white, narrow, 6 mm. long : 

 pappus white : achenes glabrous. Remarkable among asters for its profuse linear shining 

 rough-edged leaf-blades and small level-topped white flowers. 



In dry or rocky soil, Massachusetts, Vermont and Ontario to the Northwest Territory, Illinois 

 Missouri and Colorado. Summer and fall. A. ptarmicoides Georgidnus Gray, is taller with smaller 

 heads : lower leaves 15-18 cm. long, often denticulate. Georgia and Arkansas. 



94. Aster acuminatus Michx. Stem 3-9 dm. high, pubescent or puberulent, zig- 

 zag, corymbosely branched, often leafless below : leaf-blades thin, broadly oblong or ellip- 

 tic, 7-15 cm. long, acuminate at the apex, narrowed to a cuneate sessile base, sharply and 

 coarsely dentate, strongly pinnately veined, glabrous or pubescent above, pubescent at least 

 on the veins beneath, in low shaded plants often approximate above, and appearing 

 whorled : heads several or numerous, 25-37 mm. broad: involucre nearly hemispheric; 

 bracts subulate-linear, acuminate, the outer much shorter : ray -flowers 12-18 ; ligules nar- 

 row, 12-16 mm. long, white or slightly purplish : pappus copious, soft and fine, very white : 

 achenes pubescent. Remarkable for its soft -pubescent limp subviscid leaves and its de- 

 curved buds becoming erect and fragrant in flower. 



In moist woods, Labrador to Ontario, New York and in the mountains to Georgia. Summer and 

 fall. 



95. Aster paludosus Ait. Stems 3-7 dm. high, roughish, or rough -pubescent, slen- 

 der, virgate and simple, or somewhat branched above, pale or purplish, leafy in the axils ; 

 leaf-blades linear-acuminate or nearly so, 5-15 cm. long, entire, glabrous, rather rigid, 

 mostly 1-nerved, acute, the lower part commonly narrowed and sheathing, the margins 

 rough or ciliate : heads few or several, racemose or paniculate, 3-5 cm. broad : involucre 

 broadly campanulate or hemispheric ; bracts imbricated in about 5 series, foliaceous, cili- 

 ate, the outer lanceolate, acute, often thickened-subulate at the tip, the inner oblong or 

 spatulate : ray-flowers 20-30 ; ligules deep violet, 10-14 mm. long : pappus tawny : achenes 

 8-10-nerved, glabrous or nearly so. 



In swamps, Missouri and Kansas to North Carolina, Florida and Texas. Late summer and fall. 



96. Aster spinulosus T. & G. Plant nearly or quite smooth to the touch, and almost 

 without hair. Stem pale, slender, 5-6 dm. high, from a short erect tuberous rootstock 

 shaggy with marcescent leaf-bases : basal leaves tufted, very numerous, long and slender, 

 linear and attenuate below, often 3 dm. long, with occasional long slender teeth ; stem- 

 leaves bract-like, erect, 4 cm. long or commonly half that : axile leaves upcurved, stiff and 

 pungent : heads sessile and subremote in the upper axils, each subtended by an upturned 

 carinate pungent involucral leaf : rays violet, little over 1 cm. long, broader, the disk- 

 flowers fewer and the bracts paler-margined than in A. paludosus, which this otherwise 

 resembles : pappus tawny, becoming ferruginous. Unlike A. paludosus in its smaller, 

 spicate heads, longer narrower basal leaves, more pungent upper leaves, and less conspicu- 

 ous teeth. 



In wet pine lands, Florida. Summer. 



97. Aster eryngiifolius T. & G. Plant nearly smooth to the touch, sparsely villous 

 above : rootstock tuberous-thickened : stem rigid, erect, 3-7 dm. high, unbranched, with 

 one terminal head or sometimes several large heads closely approximate : leaves grass-like, 

 linear-acute with narrowed base, the numerous basal leaves spreading, chiefly 1 dm. long 



