416 



ASTELIA 



ASTER 



ti-parted, persistent, tlie parts spreading or reflexed; 

 stamens 6, attached to base of rorolla-parts; stam- 

 inodia present in pistillate r.s., the ovary sessile, 1-3- 

 celled: fr. an indeliiseent somewhat fleshy and globose 

 berry. In New Zeal., the ;istelias form a prominent 

 part of the vegetation. The species are confused. Two 

 or 3 New Zeal, species have been sparingly intro. to cult, 

 abroad, as: A. Ciinninghamii, Hook, f., with 1-celled 

 fr.: fis. numerous and small, greenish yellow or red- 

 dish yellow or maroon ; a densely tufted species, epiphy- 

 tic or terrestrial, with Ivs. 2-5 ft. long and scape 1-3 ft. 

 B.M. .5175. A. Banksii, Cunn., with 3-celled fr.: fls. 

 larger (about '4in. long), many, greenish: densely 

 tufted, large, the Ivs. 2-6 ft. A. Solandri, Cunn., with 

 3-celled fr. : fls. very niunerous and lemon-yellow, JMn. 

 long: denselj' tufted, often making large clumps on trees 

 and rocks, the Ivs. 2-5 ft. B.M. 5.503. l. H. B. 



ASTER (o star). Including Diplopappiis. Composi- 

 te. Aster. St.\rwort. IMich.elxias Daisy. A large 

 temperate-zone genus of attractive but botanically- 

 confused, mostly perennial leafy herbs, particularly 

 abundant in North America; very useful for border 

 planting. 



The genus is characterized by numerous flattish 

 rays (white, blue, red, or purple), slender subuLate or 

 lanceolate style appendages, compressed several- 

 nerved aehenes, and an involucre with unequal bracts 

 in few or several rows, the pappus simple, soft, and 

 abundant (Fig. 417); leafy steriimed, mostly blooming 

 in the autumn: Ivs. always alternate. It differs from 

 Erigeron in ha\-ing 2 to several rows of involucrate 

 bracts; in Erigeron there is only 1 series of bracts. 

 Some of the species are annual, 

 but those in cult, are perennial (or 

 rarely biennial). CaUmeris and 

 Linosyris, which have yeUow fls., 

 a color unknown in aster, are kept 

 distinct in this book. 



In North America, where the 

 asters are such abundant plants in 

 the autumn flora, the species are 

 not much known as cultivated 

 plants, most of the specimens seen 

 in gardens being the wild species 

 transplanted. In Europe, however, 

 there are numbers of named gar- 

 den kinds, some of them derived 

 from American species that have 

 been long cultivated there. A. 

 novi-helgii has been particularly 

 productive of garden forms. Many 

 of the garden forms are undoubt- 

 edly confu.sed hybrids. The Mich- 

 a-lmas daisies are mostly from this species and per- 

 haps also from A. novx-angliss. Many of the Latin- 

 form garden names are very difficult to place. 



The native asters are amongst the very best plants 

 for borders and roadsides. They should be better 

 known. A. acuminalus grows well in shade in ordinary 

 soil, not necessarily moist; increases in vigor under 

 cultivation. A. cordifolius prefers open or partial shade; 

 improves much under cultivation wnth good soil. A. 

 corymbosu.1 prefers at least partial shade, and will grow 

 even in very deep sharlc; seeds very freely; does well on 

 dry ledges and in small crevices in rock; very tenacious 

 of life. A. dumosus prefers full sunlight and dry situa- 

 tion. A. ericoule.1 wants full sunlight and dry situation; 

 will grow in very poor or shallow soil, but does best 

 where roots can penetrate deep. A . lnvis grows in either 

 full sunlight or partial shade and good soil. A. nuv^- 

 anglia: will not endure much sha<le; prefers moist soil, 

 but grow.") well in ordinarj' garden situations. Fall- 

 sown seedlings of A. novie-angliw var. rnseus come 

 practicallj- true to varietal name, though varying in 

 shade of color, and these seedhngs bloom later than 



417. Disk floret 

 of Aster. ( X-i) 

 a. pappus; h, corolla; 

 c. stamens; d, styles. 



older plants and at a height of 18 inches, making the 

 plant of value as a late bedding plant treated as an 

 annual. A. nom-helgii prefers moist soil; will not 

 endure heavy shade. A. paniculatus prefers moist soil, 

 but will do well in rather dry situations; will endure 

 more shade than either of the two above species. A. 

 patens wants open or half-shaded places, and good 

 soU; one of the weaker species, often pro\'ing short- 

 lived. A. puniceus will not endure shade; prefers moist 



418. Aster macrophyllus. ( X H) 



places, but will grow in good soil not over-moist; in dry 

 situations it loses its vigor; spreads rapidly in favored 

 locations. A. spcctabilis prefers open or partly shaded 

 places; one of the weaker species in wild state; rather 

 short-Uved. A. undulatus wants open or half shade; 

 late-flowering, handsome plant, forming large clumps 

 when allowed to develop. (F. W. Barclay.) 



The garden or modified asters undoubtedly deserve 

 more attention in American collections. The beautiful 

 low-growing, vernal alpine asters are little known at 

 present, but are valuable for rock-garden and for bor- 

 dering purposes. The earliest asters to flower are the 

 Alpine varieties. These are well adapted for floral 

 mass effects, and transplant well, e^'en in an advanced 

 state. There are many garden varieties of asters, among 

 which are Schoene von Ronsdorf, I'ltramarin, Beauty 

 of Colwall, Beaut6 Parfaite, Rosalind and Boule de 

 Neige. Alpine asters can be easily raised from seed 

 sown in spring. Seedlings do not flower until the second 

 year. In the garden they require a hght rich soil, open 

 exposure and moderate amount of moisture. Plants 

 retain their foliage over winter and for this reason need 

 a more careful covering than the tall-growing classes 

 require. Garden varieties of the latter, as a rule, do 

 better in low and rather moist locations. Here a mini- 

 mum of care is sufficient. To bring out their full beauty, 

 however, it is necessary to plant them in well-prepared 

 richly manured ground and properly to cultivate, stake 

 and irrigate them. Stock of named varieties must be 

 purchased as plants. Propagation can be effected by 

 ilivision of old clumps, or, if larger quantities are 



