348 COMPOSITE. Aster. 



»»«»»«» Heads {large and showy) terminating the corymhose or paniculate branches : scales of the involucre numerous, in 

 severed series, somewhat equal, the elongated foliaceous portion spreading or squarrose : acAenia villous : rays numerous, 

 purple or violet : leaves lanceoUUe or linear-oblong, mostly entire, sessile, often partly clasping : branchlels and involucre 

 glandular or glaiulular-pubescent. 



22. Aster NoViE-ANGLiiE, Linn. New- England Aster. 



Stem stout, hispid, corymbose at the summit ; the branchlets and involucre somewhat 

 viscid; leaves very numerous, linear-lanceolate, auriculate-clasping, entire, roughish-pubescent; 

 scales of the involucre subulate-linear, glandularly viscid, loose, nearly equal, as long as the 

 disk. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 875 ; Michx.fl. 2. p. 1 13 ; Pursh,fi. 2. p. 549 ; Nutt. gen 2. p. 156 ; 

 Ell. sk. 2. p. 351 ; Lindl. hot. reg. t. 183 ; Bigel.fl. Bost. p. 310 ; Nees, Ast. p. 46 ; Hook, 

 jl. Bar. -Am. 2. p. 8 ; Beck, hot. p. 182 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 462 ; DC.prodr. 5. p. 233; 

 Torr. 4* Gr- fl- N. Am. 2. p. 144. A. amplexicaulis. Lam. diet. 1. p. 304, not of Willd. 

 A. spurius, Willd. sp. 3. p. 2032. 



Stem 3-6 feet high, often brownish purple, clothed with white spreading hairs, and the 

 upper part somewhat viscid with a terebinthine secretion. Leaves 2-4 inches long and 

 4-6 lines wide, gradually tapering to the summit, the auriculate base folding round the stem. 

 Heads (including the rays) more than an inch and a half in diameter, arranged in a loose 

 more or less compound thyrsus or corymb. Involucre hemispherical ; the scales very narrow, 

 glandularly rough and viscid, more or less tinged with brownish-purple. Rays very numerous 

 (40 or more), bright violet-purple : disk-flowers yellow, becoming purplish when old. Achenia 

 very hairy. Pappus rather rigid, dirty reddish-white. 



Low grounds, borders of fields, etc., sometimes in rather dry situations ; common. Sep- 

 tember - October. This is one of the handsomest species of the genus, and also one of the 

 easiest to be recognized. 



^ 4. Orthomeris, Torr. &■ Gr. Scales of the regularly imbricated involucre with membranaceous 

 or scarious margins, destitute of herbaceous tips or appendages, often carinate, mostly unequal : 

 appendages of the style lanceolate, sometimes oblong or triangular : receptacle alveolate {flat) : 

 bristles of the pappus capillary, usually unequal. 



23. Aster acuminatus, Michx. Acuminate Aster. 



Stem simple, flexuous, pubescent, roughish, loosely and paniculately coi-ymbose at the 

 summit ; peduncles slender, naked ; leaves broadly cuneiform-lanceolate, membranaceous, 

 conspicuously acuminate, coarsely dentate-serrate above, the narrowed base entire, smooth 

 above, more or less pubescent underneath ; scales of the involucre linear, loosely imbricated, 

 acuminate; achenia glandular. — Michx. fl. 2. p. 109; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 555 ; Bigel.fl. Bost, 

 p. 312 ; Hook. hot. mag. t. 2707, and fl. Bor.-Am. 2 p. 9, not of Nees ; Beck, hot. p. 184 ; 

 Torr. <^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 2. p. 157. A. diffusus, var. acuminatus, Pers. syn. 2. p. 447. 

 Diplostcphium acuminatum, DC. prodr. 5. p. 273, 



