Genus 31.] 



THISTLE FAMILY. 



379 



White Heath 

 (Fig. 3797O 



1894. 



63. Aster ericoides L-. 

 Aster. Frost-weed Aster 



Aster ericoides L. Sp. PI. 875. 1753. 



Stem glabrous or very nearly so, paniculately 

 branched, usually bushy, i-3 high, the branches 

 racemose, and the branchlets often somewhat 

 secund. Leaves firm or rigid, the basal ones spat- 

 ulate, obtuse, dentate, narrowed into margined 

 petioles, glabrous or ciliate; stem leaves narrowly 

 linear, acute, entire, i'-t/ long, \"~i" wide, those 

 of the branches linear-subulate, numerous; heads 

 usually very numerous, 4 // -6 // broad; involucre 

 campanulate to hemispheric, its bracts coriaceous, 

 lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, abruptly acute or 

 acuminate, green-tipped, imbricated in about 3 

 series; rays 15-25, white, or tinged with rose; 

 pappus white; achenes finely pubescent. 



In dry soil, Maine and Ontario to Florida, west to 

 Wisconsin and Kentucky. Called also Frost-weed, 

 Michaelmas Daisy, Farewell Summer, White Rose- 

 mary, Dog-fennel, Mare's-tail, Scrub-bush. Sept- 

 Dee. 



Aster ericoides pilosus (Willd. ) Porter, Mem. Torr. Club, 5: 323, 



Aster villosus Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 113. 1803. Not Thunb. 1800. 

 Aster ericoides var. villosus T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 124. 1841. 



Stem, branches and often the leaves villous-hirsute or hispid; leaves linear-lanceolate. West- 

 ern Ontario to Pennsylvania and Georgia, west to Minnesota and Missouri. 



Aster ericoides platyphyllus T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 124. r84i. 

 Densely villous-hirsute; stem leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 1/-2' long, 4"-i2" wide. 

 Indiana to North Carolina and Georgia. 



Aster ericoides depauperatus Porter, Mem. Torr. Club, 5: 323. 1894. 

 Aster ericoides var. pusillus A. Gray, Syn. Fl. 1: Part 2, 184. 1884. Not A. pusillus Horn. 1815. 

 Glabrous, very slender, 6'-i2 ; high; stem leaves and those of the branches linear or subulate. 

 Southern Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 



Aster ericoides Randi Britton. 

 Low, stout, glabrous, seldom over i high, corymbosely or somewhat racemosely branched 

 above, often bushy; stem-leaves elongated, sometimes 3" wide; basal leaves spatulate, petioled, en- 

 tire; heads numerous, larger than in the type, sometimes over 1' broad; rays white to violet; bracts 

 of the involucre greener than in the type. Perhaps a distinct species. Mt. Desert Island, Maine. 



Aster ericoides parviceps Burgess. 

 More or less pilose; stem strict, erect, about i high, usually bushy, branched above, the branches 

 mostly short; leaves narrowly linear, ascending, with short leafy branches in their axils; heads nu- 

 merous, crowded, 3" -4." broad, somewhat secund; involucre #"-2" high; leaves of the branches 

 reduced to small scales. Prairies, Illinois and Missouri. 



64. Aster Pringlei (A. Gray) Britton. 

 Pringle's Aster. (Fig. 3798.) 



Aster ericoides var. Pringlei A. Gray, Syn. Fl. 1: 

 Part 2, 184. 1884. 



Stem very slender, glabrous, simple, or with 

 few or numerous slender ascending branches, 

 not bushy, 6 / -2 high. Basal leaves lanceolate, 

 oblong or oblanceolate, 2 / -6 / long, 2 // -6 // wide, 

 entire, or slightly toothed, ciliate and some- 

 times a little pubescent, at least on the slender 

 petioles which are often as long as the blades; 

 stem leaves narrowly linear, those of the 

 branches small and subulate; heads as large 

 as those of A. ericoides, or commonly smaller, 

 usually fewer, solitary at the ends of the 

 branches and branchlets; bracts of the cam- 

 panulate involucre with short green tips; rays 

 white. 



On banks, especially in rocky places, Massa- 

 chusetts and Vermont to Wisconsin. Aug.-Oct. 



