Genus 31.] 



THISTLE FAMILY. 



331 



67. Aster vimineus Lam. Small White 



Aster. (Fig. 3801.) 



Aster vimineus Lam. Encycl. I: 306. 1783. 



Aster Tradescanti T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 129. 1841. 



Not L. 175.V 



Glabrous or nearly so throughout; stem slender, 

 divergently branched, 2-5 high. St<jm leaves 

 linear-lanceolate, entire, or with a few low teeth, 

 y~5 / long, 2 // -4 // wide, acuminate at the apex, 

 narrowed to a sessile base, those of the branches 

 much smaller; heads very numerous, small, 3 // ~5 // 

 broad, 2"-}," high, generally densely racemose- 

 secund, short-peduncled; involucre broadly turb- 

 inate, its bracts linear, acute or acutish, imbricated 

 in about 3 series, green-tipped, appressed; rays 

 numerous, about 2" long, white; pappus white; 

 achenes minutely pubescent. 



In moist soil, Ontario to Florida, west to Minnesota 

 and Arkansas. Aug.-Sept. 

 Aster vimineus foliolosus (Ait.) A. Gray, Syn. Fl. 1: 

 Part 2, 1S6. 1884. 

 Aster foliolosus Ait. Hort. Kew. 3: 203. 1789. 



Branches ascending, very leafy; heads paniculate, 

 scarcely secund, less densely clustered. Massachusetts to Virginia, Illinois and Missouri. 



Aster vimineus Columbianus Britton. 

 Minutely pubescent, 2-4 high, the slender branches ascending; leaves linear to linear-lanceo- 

 late, those of the stemdeflexed; heads about 1' broad; rays red-purple. Perhaps a distinct species. 

 District of Columbia to New York. 



68. Aster multiflorus Ait. 



Dense-flowered Aster. White Wreath Aster. 

 (Fig. 3802.) 



Aster multiflorus Ait. Hort. Kew. 3:203. 1789. 

 Aster multiflorus var. stricticaidis T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2. 



125. 1841. 



Stem strict, much branched and bushy, rough- 

 pubescent or scabrous, i-7 high, the branches 

 ascending or spreading. Leaves rigid, linear or 

 linear-oblong, entire, mostly obtuse, sessile or 

 slightly clasping at the base, rough and ciliate, 

 those of the stem J^'-iJ^' long, those of the 

 branches very small and crowded; heads $"-\" 

 broad, densely crowded, nearly sessile, sometimes 

 slightly secund on the branches; involucre turbin- 

 ate, 2 // -3 // high, its bracts coriaceous, pubescent, 

 in 3 or 4 series, their short green tips obtuse or mu- 

 cronate, spreading; rays 10-20, white, i^ // -2 // long; 

 pappus brownish white; achenes puberulent. 



In dry open places, Maine and Ontario to the North- 

 west Territory and British Columbia, south to Georgia, 

 Texas and Arizona. Called also Fall-flower. Aug. -Nov. 



69. Aster incanopilosus (L,indl.) Sheldon. 

 White Prairie Aster. (Fig. 3803.) 



Aster ramulosus var. incanopilosus Lindl. in DC. Prodr. 



5: 243. 1836. 

 Aster niultiHorus'vzx. commutatusl. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 125. 



1841. 

 Aster commulatus A. Gray, Syn. Fl. 1: Part 2, 185. 1884. 

 A. incanopilosus Sheldon, Bull. Torr. Club, 20: 286. 1893. 



Similar to the preceding species, except in the in- 

 florescence, the stem rough-pubescent, or sometimes 

 nearly glabrous, i^ -2> high, with ascending or di- 

 vergent branches. Leaves linear or linear-oblong, ob- 

 tuse, entire, sessile or slightly clasping at the base, 

 those of the stem i / -3 / long; heads larger than those 

 of A, multiflorus, 6 // -8 // broad, involucre 3 // -4 // high, 

 its bracts squarrose-tipped and sometimes foliaceous; 

 rays 20-30, about 3 // long. 



On prairies and along rivers, Northwest Territory to 

 western Nebraska and Texas, west to Oregon, Utah and 

 New Mexico. Aug.-Oct. 



