COMPOSITE FAMILY. Composite. 



A very tall species with white or lilac- 

 white flowers a trifle larger than a "nickel," 

 borne in somewhat flat-topped, loose or 

 scattered clusters ; the leaves dark green, 

 very nearly if not quite smooth, long 

 lance-shaped, and obscurely toothed ; the 

 upper ones toothless. The stout, much- 

 branched stem is 3-8 feet high. Common on low moist 

 ground and borders of copses, in half shade, everywhere. 

 A northern species with remarkably nar- 

 row, toothless (or nearly so) leaves 3-8 

 inches long, and pale violet or light purple 

 flowers as large as a silver quarter. The 

 flower-envelop is encircled with man}' lit- 

 tle acute scales strongly curled backward. 

 1-3 feet high. In swamps and low ground. 

 Northern N. Eng., west to Minn, and Mont. 



Flowers large pale violet, lilac or blue- 

 violet, with 15-24 rays, nearly £ inch 

 long. The stemless, usually toothless light 

 green leaves are thin, long, and smooth, or 

 the small upper ones clasping the stem, 

 the lower very slightly toothed. 10-35 

 inches high. Gray calls this the "com- 

 monest late-flowered aster of the Atlantic 

 border, and very variable " ; but through- 

 out New Hampshire A. puniceus is far commoner. The 

 variations of A. Novi-Belgii are — var. Icevigatus, smooth 

 throughout, with the upper leaves clasping the stem by 

 an abrupt base ; N. Eng. and east.: var. litoreus, rigid, 

 low, with thick, smooth leaves, the upper ones clasping the 

 stem by a heart-shaped base ; salt marshes south to Ga. 

 A northern species. The upper part of 

 the stem is hairy in lines, and occasionally 

 brownish ; the rough (but smooth beneath), 

 ovate lance-shaped leaves are contracted at 

 the base to a long wide-stemlike figure 

 finally heart-shaped at the plant-stem. The flowers, 

 about as large as a silver quarter, are pale violet or 

 nearly lilac- white. 1-3 feet high. Margins of woods and 

 banks of streams. Newfane, Vt. to Pa., Iowa, and Wis. 



494 



Panicled 

 White Aster 

 Aster 



pdnictUatus 

 White 

 August- 

 October 



Long-leaved 

 Aster 

 Aster 

 longifolius 

 Light violet 

 August- 

 October 



New York Aster 

 or Willow- 

 leaved Blue 

 Aster 

 Aster NovU 

 Belgii 

 Lilac or 

 blue-violet 

 August- 

 October 



Aster 



prenanthoides 

 Pale violet 

 September- 

 October 



