COMPOSITE FAMILY. Composite. 



A very tall species with white or lilac- 

 White^ster wnite flowers a trifle larger than a * 'nickel," 

 Aster borne in somewhat flat-topped, loose or 



paniculatus scattered clusters ; the leaves dark green, 

 White very nearly if not quite smooth, long 



October" lance-shaped, and obscurely toothed ; the 



upper ones toothless. The stout, much- 

 branched stem is 3-8 feet high. Common on low moist 

 ground and borders of copses, in half shade, everywhere. 

 A northern species with remarkably nar- 

 Aster ' row, toothless (or nearly so) leaves 3-8 



Aster inches long, and pale violet or light purple 



longifolius flowers as large as a silver quarter. The 

 Llgl flower-envelop is encircled with many lit- 



October" tie. acute scales strongly curled backward. 



1-3 feet high. In swamps and low ground. 

 Northern N. Eng., west to Minn, and Mont. 



Flowers large pale violet, lilac or blue- 

 New York Aster . , *. 



or Willow= violet, with 15-24 rays, nearly -| inch 



leaved Blue long. The stemless, usually toothless light 

 Aster green leaves are thin, long, and smooth, or 



Aster Novi- ^ ne sma [\ upper ones clasping the stem, 



LHacor the lower Very sli g htlv toothed. 10-35 



blue= violet inches high. Gray calls this the "corn- 

 August- monest late-flowered aster of the Atlantic 

 October border, and very variable " ; but through- 

 out New Hampshire A. puniceus is far commoner. The 

 variations of A. Novi-Belgii are var. Icevigatus, smooth 

 throughout, with the upper leaves clasping the stem by 

 an abrupt base ; N. Eng. and east. : var. litoreus, rigid, 

 low, with thick, smooth leaves, the upper ones clasping the 

 stem by a heart-shaped base ; salt marshes south to Ga. 

 A northern species. The upper part of 



prenanthoides the stem is hair 7 in lines > ^ nd occasionally 

 Pale violet bro wnish ; the rough (but smooth beneath), 

 September- ovate lance-shaped leaves are contracted at 

 October ^ ne |3 ase to a long wide-stemlike figure 



finally heart-shaped at the plant-stem. The flowers, 

 about as large as a silver quarter, are pale violet or 

 nearly lilac- white. 1-3 feet high. Margins of woods and 

 banks of streams. Newfane, Vt. to Pa., Iowa, and Wis. 



494 



