262 COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 



= = Heads small or middle-sized, the looser linear scales somewhat equal and 

 erect, and the acute green tips not dilated, the, outer often wholly herbaceous. 



39. A. jlinceus, Ait. Slender, 1-3 high, simple with few heads or 

 loosely branching ; leaves linear or narrow, 3 - 5' long, entire or the lower 

 sparsely denticulate ; heads small (3" high) ; scales small, narrow, in 2 or 3 

 rows, the outer more or less shorter; rays light purple, 4-5" long. (A. 

 aestivus, previous ed., mainly.) Wet meadows and cold bogs, N. Scotia and 

 N. Y. to Mich, and Minn. 



40. A. longifolius, Lam. (not of previous ed.) Stem 1-3 high, more or 

 less branched and corymbosely panicled ; leaves long-lanceolate to linear-lance- 

 olate (3-7' long), narrowed to both ends, entire or sparsely serrulate; heads 

 4 - 5" high, the scales nearly equal and usually little imbricated, the outer 

 looser ; rays 3 - 4" long, violet or purplish, rarely whitish. Low grounds, 

 Lab. and northern N. Eng. to Minn. Var. viLLiCAtiLis, Gray, a low simple 

 form, with few or solitary heads, and the stem and midrib of the leaves densely 

 white-villous beneath. N. Maine, at Fort Kent (Miss Furbish). 



=== = = Heads middle-sized ; scales in few to several rows, more or less unequal, 

 linear to spatulate, more herbaceous and firmer > the tips often slightly spread- 

 ing or squarrose. 



41. A. N6vi-B61gii, L. Rarely tall; leaves oblong to linear-lanceolate, 

 entire or sparsely serrate, the upper partly clasping and often somewhat au- 

 riculate ; heads 4 - 5" long ; rays bright blue-violet. (A. longifolius, previous 

 ed.) N. Brunswick to 111. and Ga. The commonest late-flowered Aster of 

 the Atlantic border, and very variable. The typical form has thin narrowly 

 to oblong-lanceolate leaves, sometimes scabrous above, and linear scales with 

 narrow acute spreading or recurved tips. Var. L^vioXTtrs, Gray, is usually 

 glabrous throughout, the thin leaves mostly oblong-lanceolate, the upper half- 

 clasping by an abrupt base ; scales nearly equal, loosely erect, with short 

 acutish tips. N. Eng. and eastward. Var. LIT6REUS, Gray, rigid, usually 

 low, very leafy ; leaves thickish, usually very smooth, oblong to lanceolate, the 

 upper sometimes auriculate ; scales in several loose rows, all but the inner- 

 most with broadish obtuse tips, the outer usually spatulate. Salt-marshes and 

 shores, Can. to Ga. Var. EL6DES, Gray, slender, often low and simple ; leaves 

 thickish, long, narrowly linear, entire, the uppermost small and bract-like; scales 

 narrow, with short and mostly spreading acutish tips. Swamps, N. J. to Va. 

 i-+ *- Cauline leaves conspicuously contracted into a winged-petiole-like base or 



auriculate-clasping ; involucre lax. 



42. A. patulus, Lam. Glabrous or subpubescent, 1-4 high ; leaves 

 ovate- or oblong-lanceolate, sharply serrate in the middle, narrowed at both 

 ends, the lower to a winged petiole, none auriculate or only obscurely so ; heads 

 loosely panicled, about 4" high ; scales unequal, erect or nearly so ; rays light 

 purple or white. N. Brunswick and eastern N. England. 



43. A. tard.ifl.6rus, L. Glabrous or stem somewhat pubescent (not his- 

 pid), 1-2 high; leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, mostly 

 with gradually narrowed and somewhat auricled base ; heads often few, corym- 

 bose, 4 - 5" high ; scales subequal, the outer f oliaceous ; rays pale violet. 

 Lab. to the Mass, coast and White Mts. Not late-flowering. 



