COMPOSITAE (COMPOSITE FAMILY) 



813 



large, disposed to be thyrsoid or racemose-clustered ; rays 

 rarely white. Low grounds, Mass, to Ont., westw. and 

 southw. ; most abundant westw. Aug. -Oct. FIG. 958. Var. 

 suulspER (Lindl.) Gray. Rigid, scabrous, with contracted 

 leafy inflorescence, the broad heads usually leafy-bracteate, 

 and the broader scales often obtuse. 111. to Neb. and Tex. 



= = Heads small or middle-sized" the 

 looser linear bracts generally subequal 

 and erect, and the acute green tips 

 not dilated, the outer often wholly 

 herbaceous. 



958. A, salicifolius. 44. A. jiinceus Ait. Slender, 3-9 dm. 

 high, simple with few heads or loosely 



branching ; leaves linear or narrow, 0.5-1.5 dm. long, entire 



or the lower sparingly denticulate, scabrous on the margins,' 



heads small (6-8 mm. high) ; bracts small, narrow, in 3-4 



rows, the outer somewhat shorter; rays purple, roseate, 



or white, 1 cm. long. Wet meadows and cold bogs, e. 



Que. to B. C., s. to n. and w. N. E., n. Pa., O., Wise., and 



Neb. June-Sept. FIG. 959. 



45. A. longif&lius Lam. Glabrous, 1 m. or less high, 

 more or less branched and corymbosely panicled ; leaves 

 long-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1-2 dm. long, narrowed 

 to both ends or slightly clasping, entire or sparingly ser- 

 rate ; heads as in the preceding ; the bracts nearly equal 

 and usually little imbricated, the outer looser; rays 

 0.5-1.5 cm. long, violet or purplish, rarely whitish. Low 

 grounds, Lab. to Sask., s. to N. S., n. and w. N. E., and 

 the Great L. region. July-Oct. FIG. 960. Var. VILLI- 

 CAULIS Gray. Stem and midrib of the leaves densely 

 white- villous. Lab. to n. N. Y. 



959. A. junceus. 



960. A. longifolius. 



= = = Heads middle-sized ; bracts in fete-several rows, more or less unequal, 

 linear to spatulate, more herbaceous and firmer, the tips often slightly 

 spreading or squarrose. 



46. A. n6vi-b61gii L. Slender, 2-10 dm. high ; leaves oblong to linear-lanceo- 

 late, entire or sparingly serrate, the upper partly clasping and often somewhat 

 auriculate ; heads about 1 cm. high ; rays from bright blue- 

 violet to white. Nfd. to Ga., mainly near the coast; also in 

 the White Mts., and doubtfully reported westw. Late July- 

 Oct. The commonest late-flowered Aster of the Atlantic 

 border, and very variable. The typical form has thin narrow- 

 to oblong-lanceolate leaves, sometimes scabrous above, and 

 linear bracts with narrow acute spreading or recurved tips. 

 FIG. 961. Var. LAEVIGATUS (Lam.) Gray. Usually glabrous 

 throughout ; the thin leaves mostly oblong- 

 lanceolate, the upper half-clasping by an 

 abrupt base ; bracts nearly equal, loosely 

 erect, with short acutish tips. N. E., little 

 known. Var. LixdREUS Gray. Rigid, mostly 

 low, very leafy ; leaves thickish, usually very 

 smooth, oblong to lanceolate, the upper some- 

 times auriculate ; bracts in several loose rows, 

 all but the innermost with broadish obtuse 

 tips, the outer usually spatulate. Salt marshes and shores, 

 Que. to Ga. FIG. 962. Var. EI^DES (T. & G.) Gray. Slender, 

 often low and simple ; leaves thickish, long, narrowly linear, entire, the upper- 

 most small and bract-like ; bracts narrow, with short and mostly spreading 

 acutish tips. Swamps, N. J. to Va. 



A. novi-belgii. 



A. novi-belgii, 

 v. litoreus. 



