ASTER. 



69 



Aster Amellus (Italian Starwort}. 

 A handsome kind, 15 to 24 in. high, 

 with stems growing in large clusters 

 from the root, branching at the top, 

 each terminated by a single flower. 

 Flowers, in late summer and autumn ; 

 blue with yellow disk. Leaves, oblong- 

 lance-shaped, entire, rough. The 

 variety bessardbicus very much re- 

 sembles the type, but has oblong- 

 obtuse leaves, narrowed at the base, 

 and obtuse scales of the involucrum. 



Europe. Borders and banks, in any 



soil. Division. 



Aster catmlicus (Indian Aster], A 

 tall, fine species, very handsome and 

 free-flowering, with a stem about 3 ft. 

 high, branching above. Flowers, in 

 autumn ; f in. across, blue with bright 

 yellow centre, in a large branching 

 panicle. Leaves, entire, lance-shaped, 

 smooth, sessile, clasping; the lower 

 ones 4 in. long, gradually diminishing 

 in size towards the top of the stem. 

 N. India. Borders, and naturaliza- 

 tion in ordinary soil. Division. 



Aster cordifolius (Heart-leaved Star- 

 wort}. A tall, graceful kind, with 

 stems often zigzag below, and inflores- 

 cence slightly drooping, 3 to 4^ ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer and au- 

 tumn ; pale violet, or nearly white, 

 turning deeper ; heads small, mostly 

 crowded into racemes on the short 

 spreading branches. Leaves, heart- 

 shaped, acute, often hairy beneath, 

 rough above ; root and lower stem- 

 leaves gradually pointed, sharply 

 serrate, on slender stalks, the upper 

 ones egg-shaped or lance-shaped, stalk- 

 less, or with short margined stalks, 

 often entire. North America and 

 Northern Asia. Borders, shrub- 

 beries, and naturalization. Division. 



Aster (Galatella) dracunculoides. 

 A very pleasing kind, with light green 

 stems and branches, 2 ft. or more in 

 height, branching above ; branches 

 nearly erect. Flowers, in autumn ; 



1 in. or more across, purplish-blue, 

 with dull yellow centre, in dense 

 cymose, level clusters. Leaves, linear, 

 pointed, sessile, about 1 in. long, 

 chiefly on the upper part of the plant. 



South of Russia. Borders, by 



wood- walks, and naturalization, ID 

 common soil. Division. 



Aster dumosus (Bushy Aster). A 

 very dense bushy species, forming 

 thick branching tufts, 9 to 12 in. high. 

 Flowers, in autumn; pale lilac-blue, 

 about 4 in- across, in broad clusters 

 on the tops of the branches. Leaves, 

 about 2 in. long, lance-shaped, pointed, 

 sessile; upper ones much smaller. 



N. America. Borders, rockwork, 



and naturalization on bare slopes, etc., 

 in ordinary soil. Division. 



Aster elegans (Elegant Starwort}. 

 A tall and graceful kind, with slightly 

 drooping inflorescence, 3 to 5 ft. high. 

 Flowers, in autumn ; pale purple or 

 approaching to white, small, in a con- 

 tracted corymb. Leaves, narrow, 

 lance-shaped, stalkless, pale, rather 

 rough, particularly at the margins, 

 somewhat 3-nerved; stems clothed 

 with erect leaves, 1 to 2 in. long, and 

 ^ to ^ i n - wide, becoming gradually 

 smaller towards the top. Plains of 

 Oregon, and on the Blue Moun- 

 tains, N. America. Excellent for 



borders, and for associating with large 

 autumn-flowering subjects ; ordinary 

 soil. Division. 



Aster fragilis (Fragile Starwort). 

 A bushy kind, with numerous brittle 

 stems, 2 ft. to 24 ft. high. Flowers, 

 in autumn ; small, white at first, 

 with a yellow disk, changing after- 

 wards to light flesh -colour, then to 

 rosy white with a purplish disk. 

 Leaves, alternate ; lower ones oblong- 

 lance-shaped ; upper ones smaller, 

 often tinged with red. N. America. 



Borders and banks, in any soiL 



Division. 



