28o A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 



or lance-oblong, pointed at the tip, narrowed to a stalkless 

 almost stem-clasping base, zV^-l iri- long, less than i in. 

 wide, toothed, or rough-margined. Flowers white, the heads 

 numerous, about ^ in. wide. In moist places, New Bruns- 

 wick and Ontario to Kentucky and westward. September. 

 Fig. 858. There are several closely related species. 



859. Skevish. Erigcron philadelphicns. A softly hairy, usu- 

 ally branched perennial, 10-20 in. high. Leaves blunt, lance- 

 oval, or broadest towards the tip, narrowed and stalked at 

 the base, 1-3 in. long, toothed, the uppermost smaller and 

 stem-clasping. Flowers rose-purple, the heads 1-13^ in. wide, 

 not very numerous. In dry places, often appearing weedy, 

 nearly throughout North America. June. Fig. 859. A related 

 species, E. pidchellus, with an unbranched stem and flower 

 heads twice as large, is found from Nova Scotia to Florida, 

 and westward. 



860. Blue Wood Aster. Aster cordifolius. A coarse, usually 

 much branched smooth stemmed perennial, 1^/^-4 ft. high. 

 Basal leaves broadly oval, deeply heart shaped at the base, 

 long stalked, 2^-6 in. long, the upper stem leaves smaller 

 and not heart shaped, toothed. Flowers blue or violet blue, 

 rarely a little paler, in numerous heads that are scarcely ^ 

 in. wide. In woods and in partial shade. New Brunswick to 

 Georgia, and westward, September. Fig. 860. 



