334 COMPOSITE. Sericocarpus. 



Ast. p. 150 ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 261 ; Darlingt. ft. Cest. p. 470 ; Torr. ^ Gr. jl. N. Am. 2. 

 p. 102. Conyza asteroides, Linn. sp. 2. p. 861. Aster conyzoides, Willd. sp. 3. p. 2043 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 2. p. 555 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 341 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 158 ; Bigel. Jl. Bost. p. 311 ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 181. A. Marilandicus, Michx. fl. 2. p. 108. 



Stem 12-18 inches high, straight, slender but rigid, smoothish below, more or less 

 pubescent above. Leaves of a firm texture, 2-3 inches long ; the radical ones often an inch 

 or more in breadth ; upper ones mostly entire. Heads solitary and pedicellate, or more 

 commonly sessile in small clusters. Scales closely appressed and .whitish at the base, more 

 or less epreading above ; outer ones bright green at the tip ; inner ones pale. 



Dry woods and hill-sides ; common. Fl. Latter part of June - August. 



2. Sericocarpus solidagineus, Nees. Narrow-leaved Sericocarpus. 



Smooth ; stem slender, somewhat flexuous, angled with elevated lines ; leaves spatulate- 

 linear or linear, obtuse, entire, rough on the margin, obscurely 3-nerved or slightly veiny ; 

 involucres cylindraceous ; scales squarrose at the tips ; rays elongated ; pappus white. — 

 Nees, Ast. p. 149 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 14 ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 261 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 470 ; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. Am. 2. p. 102. Conyza linifolia, Linn. I. c. Aster solidaginoides, 

 Willd. sp. 3. p. 2024 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 503 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 303 ; Beck, hot. p. 18a 

 A. solidagineus, Miclix. fl. 2. p. 108. 



Plant pale yellowish green. Stems about a foot and a half high, usually flexuous and 

 sometimes tortuous, often several from one root. Leaves- 1-2 inches long and 2-3 lines 

 wide, occasionally broader. Peduncles of the corymb elongated, with the flowers glomerate 

 at the extremity. Outer scales of the involucre broad, and green at the tip ; inner ones pale, 

 ciliate. Rays 3-8, much longer than the disk. 



Woods and copses, both in dry and in moist situations; more rare than the preceding. 

 Fl. July - August, 



8. ASTER. Toi*rn. inst. t. 174 ; Torr. <^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 2. p. 103. star-wort. 



Aster, Biotia, Tripolium and Heliastbum, DC. 

 \ The name, which is the Greek for star, alludes to the appearance of the heads of flowers.] 



Heads many-flowered ; the ray-flowers in a single series, pistillate ; those of the disk tubular, 

 perfect. Scales of the involucre more or less imbricated, usually with membranaceous or 

 foliaceous tips. Receptacle flat, alveolate or rarely naked. Appendages of the style (in 

 the disk-flowers) lanceolate or subulate. Achenia usually compressed. Pappus composed 

 of simple rough capillary bristles. — Perennial (or rarely annual) herbs. Leaves alternate, 

 entire or serrate. Inflorescence generally corymbose-paniculate. Rays white, purple or 

 blue, never yellow ; disk-flowers yellow, often changing to purple in withering. 



