336 COMPOSITE. Aster. 



§ 2. Calliastrom, Torr. & Gr. Scales coriaceous, with herbaceous spreading or squarrose tips : 

 rays numerous ( 12 - 30) ; bristles of the pappus rigid, unequal, a portion of the inner ones more 

 or less thickened toward the summit : achenia narrow, angled, slightly or scarcely compressed ; 

 cauliru leaves rigid, sessile ; the radical ones never cordate : heads large and showy. 



3. Aster Radula, Ait. (Plate L.) Rasp-leaved Aster. 



Stem smooth, loosely corymbose at the summit ; the branches few, nearly simple and naked ; 

 leaves oblong-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, more or less acuminate, mostly narrow toward 

 the base, closely sessile, rough on both sides and somewhat rugose, sharply and rather re- 

 motely serrate ; involucre campanulate-hemispherical, shorter than the disk ; the scales oblong, 

 rather obtuse, ciliate, appressed, with slightly spreading herbaceous tips ; achenia smooth. — 

 Ait. Kew. (ed. 1.) 3. p. 210 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 556 ; Nees, Ast. p. 43 ; Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. 2. 

 p. 7 ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 230 ; Torr. ^ Gr. jl. N. Am. 2. p. 106. A. nudiflorus, Nutt. gen. 

 2. p. 157; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 462 ; DC. I. c. 



Stem 2-3 feet high, with a few spreading branches at the summit, purplish. Leaves 

 2-3 inches long and from half an inch to an inch in breadth, hairy on the veins underneath, 

 entire towards the base ; the serratures mucronate, and usually salient. Heads seldom more 

 than 6 — 10 on a plant, and often only 2-4, large ; the peduncles 1-3 inches long, pubes- 

 cent. Scales of the involucre smooth, except the ciliate margins, rather acute. Rays pale 

 violet ; the disk yellow, turning brownish. Achenia narrowly oblong, turgid, slightly com- 

 pressed. Pappus reddish-tawny. Receptacle alveolate ; the pits with a lacerate chaffy 

 margin. 



" On the high mountains of New- York and Pennsylvania." Pursh. 



I introduce this plant into our flora on the authority of Pursh, having not yet detected ft 

 myself within the limits of the State. I have, however, found it in New-Jersey, and it occurs 

 in Connecticut and other parts of New~England ; always in low grounds, and rarely, I suspect, 



on mountains. Fl. August. 



*' 



4. Aster spectabilis. Ait. (Plate LI.) Showy Aster. 



Stem pulverulent-scabrous, gland ularly pubescent and corymbose at the summit ; leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, spreading, very rough ; upper ones sessile, entire ; lower and radical ones 

 remotely appressed-serrate, narrowed below into a short petiole ; corymb few-flowered, the 

 branches rather short and leafy, 1 - 3-flowered ; involucre hemispherical-campanulate, as long 

 as the disk ; scales numerous, somewhat equal in length, glandular-pubescent, linear-oblong 

 or spatulate, acute, with large foliaceous squarrose tips ; rays 20 or more ; achenia slightly 

 hairy. — Ait. Kew. (ed. 1.) 3. J9. 209 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 554 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 157; Beck, hot. 

 p. 184 ; Nees, Ast. p. 42 ; Lindl. hot. reg. t. 1527 ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 230 ; Torr. ^ Gr. 

 fl. N. Am. 2. p. 108. A. grandiflorus, Walt. fl. Car. p. 209. A. elegans, Willd. sp. 3, 

 p. 2042, in part. 



