Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 351 



SMOOTH ASTER (Aster laevis) is a handsome 

 species having a smooth, stout stem, quite branching, 

 usually covered with a whitish bloom and growing 

 from 2 to 4 feet high. The flowers are in lovely ter- 

 minal clusters, each blossom measuring about an 

 inch across; they are usually light violet blue in 

 color, although color is very variable with all fhe 

 so-called blue asters; each disk is surrounded by 15 

 to 30 rays. The leaves are nearly smooth-edged, lan- 

 ceolate, clasping the stem with a distinct heart-shap- 

 ed base. The Smooth Aster is abundant from Me. to 

 Minn, and southwards, growing in dry soil and bloom- 

 ing in September and October. 



NEW YORK ASTER (Aster novi-belgii) is one of 

 the very commonest of the "blue asters." The stalk 

 is slender, very branchy and grows from 1 to 3 feet 

 in height. The leaves are commonly narrowly lanceo- 

 late but are very variable; they slightly clasp the 

 stem with their bases. The numerous flower heads 

 are a trifle more than an inch across, the yellowish 

 center being surrounded by 15 to 24 lilac or blue- 

 violet rays. This species abounds from Newfound- 

 land to Florida and perhaps west to the Miss. Valley. 

 It blooms in September and October. 



PURPLE-STEMMED ASTER (Aster puniceus) is 

 more widely distributed and perhaps as abundant as 

 the last species. It is tall and branching, the stem 

 growing from 2 to 7 feet in height. The stalk is 

 brownish purple and is stout and rough-hairy. The 

 leaves are large, oval, with a tapering point, rough 

 above and hairy on the midrib below, coarsely but 

 sparingly toothed. The flowers grow very profusely 

 in terminal clusters. The centers are dull yellow and 

 the 20 to 24 rays, light violet blue or white. Com- 

 mon from N. B. to Manitoba and southwards. 



