284 A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 



rarely branched wand-like stem, 1-2 ft. high. Leaves oblong, 

 silky-hairy, stalkless, toothless, about ^ in. long. Flowers 

 lilac, the heads about ^ in. wide, in a long terminal raceme. 

 In dry, mostly sandy places, Mass. to Florida, near the coast. 

 September. Fig. 870. 



871. Showy Aster. Aster spectabilis. An erect, usually un- 

 branched and stiffish Aster, 1-2 ft. high. Leaves coarse, 

 oval, 3-5 in. long, pointed, mostly without teeth, but some- 

 times with a few shallow ones, short-stalked. Flowers very 

 showy, violet, the heads not very numerous, but about i^ 

 in. wide. In dry sandy places, Mass. to Delaware, along the 

 coast, rare or unknown inland. August. Fig. 871. 



872. Flowers yellow, except in the Silver Rod, No. 876 and 

 the Rose Tickseed, No. 895 (Daisy Family continued. Nos. 



873-907-) 



Individual flower heads at least i in. wide, often much more . . 



no. 885 



Individual flower heads less than J/^ in. wide, but the cluster of 

 them may be several in. long, or wide... .Golden Rods no. 873 



873. GOLDEN RODS. SOLIDAGO AND EUTHAMIA. 



There are many species of Golden Rods and their identi- 

 fication is not easy, for their separation is based mostly on 

 technical characters. As in the Asters, those below must be 

 considered as species representative of certain groups, rather 

 than an attempt to describe all the kinds known to grow 

 in the area. They are all perennials with erect stems, and al- 

 ternate leaves. They have yellow flowers (except in one 

 species) in small heads, consisting of both tubular and ray 

 flowers, and the individual head is often oblong or bell 

 shaped. The heads are arranged in flat topped clusters in 

 one species, in one-sided racemes in others, and in large 

 much branched clusters in a number of species. Those be- 

 low may be separated thus: 



