COMPOSITAE 129 



Stem 1 to 2 or 3 feet high, smooth or slightly pubescent, often bushy by reason 

 of the numerous leafy branches. Radical leaves 1 to 3 or 4 inches long, sparingly 

 serrate, ciliatc, tapering to a petiole, nearly as long as the leaf; stem-leave* 1 to 3 

 inches long, those on the branches smaller, subulate-linear or oblong, acute at 

 each end. Heads of flowers numerous, small (about half an inch in diameter, in- 

 cluding the rays), solitary on the ascending and somewhat secund leafy peduncles, 

 or branchlets ; rays sometimes tinged with purple; disk yellow; akenes minutely 

 pubescent 

 Hob. Old fields; roadsides, Ac.: very common. Fl. Aug. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. This plant, in some of its various forms, is more abundant 

 in our neglected fields, in the character of a weed, than any other 

 species of Aster. 



1O. A. miser, L f & Ait. More or less hairy and branched; 

 branches often slender, spreading or pendent; leaves oblong-lance- 

 olate, acute at each end, serrate in the middle ; heads of flowers 

 racemose or scattered. 



Also, A. parviflorus. Nees. $ PL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 46&. 

 MISERABLE, OR STARVED ASTER. 



Stem 6 inches to 3 or 4 feet high, in the dwarf specimens generally simple, the 

 1 arger ones often much branched. Radical leaves spatulate-lanceolate, narrowed 

 to a petiole at base : stem-leai'es 1 to 3 or 4 inches I6ng, more or less lanceolate in 

 form. Heads of flowers clustered in short axillary racemes, or in loose paniculate 

 or sometimes pendulous racemes ; rays short, white or tinged with purple ; disk 

 brownish, or finally purplish; akenes pubescent. 

 Hab. Sterile old fields; thickets, &c. : frequent. FL Sept. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. A numerous list, which have figured in the books as species, 

 are now reduced to varieties of this. There is such a resemblance 

 in all their poor starved heads of flowers, that an attentive observer 

 can readily recognize them as belonging to A. miser, 



f f f Scale-tips recurved or loosely spreading, subfoliaceous ; rays violetrpurple ; heads 

 rather large, often showy. 



I 9. t. simplex, Willd. Smoothish; usually tall; branches and 

 heads subcorymbose ; leaves linear-lanceolate, sessile, subserrate, 

 the upper ones entire; scales of the involucre lance-linear, unequal. 

 A. salicifolius, Ait. $ FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 467. 

 SIMPLE ASTER. 



8U-tn 2 to 5 or 6 feet high, often purple, branched above, with hairy lines decur- 

 rent from the base of the leaves. Leaves 1 to 4 inches long; radical ones oblong- 

 xpotulate, tapering and ciliate towards the base; stem-leaves slender, very acute, 

 riK>tely and sparingly but sharply serrate; branch-leaves cuspidate, entire. 

 J leads of flowers medium size; involucre smoothish; rays pale bluish-purple; 

 disk yellowish, finally purplish-brown ; akenes pubescent. 

 Jfijb. Along swampy rivulets : frequent. J^._Sept. Fr. Octo. 



12. A. puniceus, L. Hirsute; rather stout; paniculately 

 branched; leaves lance-oblong, sessile and clasping, appressed- 

 serrate in the middle; scales of the involucre subulate4inear, 

 nearly equal. 

 KED (STALKED) ASTER. 



Stem 3 to 6 feet high, rough with short conic bristles, purple, or sometimes 

 green. Leaves 2 or 3 to 4 or 6 inches long, more or less tapering at base, often 



