COMPOSITAE. 957 



34. Aster patulus Lam. SPREADING ASTER. (I. F. f. 3766.) Pubescent, 

 or nearly glabrous; stem 3-12 dm. high. Leaves oval, ovate, or oblong-lanceo- 

 late, sharply and irregularly serrate, rather thin, acute, acuminate, or blunt, the 

 lower 7-15 cm. long, 2.5-6 cm. wide, narrowed into margined petioles, the upper 

 sessile and somewhat clasping; heads numerous, panicled, about 25 mm. broad; 

 involucre campanulate, 6-8 mm. high, its bracts linear to linear lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, not foliaceous. loosely imbricated in 3 or 4 series, the outer shorter; rays 

 violet-purple or rarely white. N. B. to N. H. Sept. 



35. Aster prenanthoides Muhl. CROOKED-STEM ASTER. (I. F. f. 3767.) 

 Stem glabrous, or pubescent in lines above, flexuous, much branched, 3-6 dm. 

 high. Leaves thin, oblong to ovate-lanceolate, sharply and coarsely serrate, sea- 

 brous above, glabrous or nearly so beneath, 7-15 cm. long, 18-35 mm - wide, acumi- 

 nate, abruptly narrowed below into a broad- margined entire petiole, the base 

 auriculate-clasping; heads usually numerous, 25 mm. broad or more; involucre 

 hemispheric, its bracts linear, acute, green, spreading, imbricated in 3 or 4 series, 

 the outer shorter; rays 20-30, violet, 8-12 mm. long; pappus tawny; achenes 

 pubescent. In moist soil, Mass, to Wis., south to W. Va., Ky. and Iowa. Aug.- 

 Oct. 



Aster prenanthoides porrectifblius Porter. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, much elon- 

 gated, sometimes 2 dm. long, gradually contracted into an entire clasping base. Penn. 



36. Aster laevis L. SMOOTH ASTER. (I. F. f. 3768.) Stem usually stout, 

 glabrous often glaucous, 6-12 dm. high, branched or simple. Leaves thick, entire, 

 or serrate, glabrous, slightly rough- margined, the upper all sessile and strongly 

 cordate-clasping, oblong-lanceolate, oblanceolate or ovate, acute or obtusish, 2-10 

 cm. long, 8-50 mm. wide, the basal and lower gradually narrowed into winged peti- 

 oles, those of the branches often small and bract-like; heads usually numerous, 

 about 25 mm. broad; involucre campanulate, its bracts rigid, acute, appressed, 

 green-tipped, imbricated in several series ; rays 15-30, blue or violet ; pappus 

 tawny; achenes glabrous or nearly so. Usually in dry soil, Me. and Ont. to Penn., 

 La., the N. W. Terr, and Kans. Sept. -Oct. 



Aster laevis amplif61ius Porter. Stout, somewhat fleshy; leaves broadly ovate, nar^ 

 rowed toward the base, strongly clasping. Mass, to eastern Penn., Minn, and Mo. 



Aster laevis Potomacensis Burgess. Lower stem-leaves abruptly contracted into 

 winged petioles, sharply serrate; heads few, usually racemose; green tips of the bracts 

 broad, conspicuous. Md. and Va. 



37. Aster concinnus Willd. NARROW-LEAVED SMOOTH ASTER. (I. F. f. 

 3769.) Similar to narrow-leaved forms of Aster laevis, glabrous or sparingly 

 pubescent above; stem paniculately branched, 3-9 dm. high. Leaves light green, 

 lanceolate to linear, entire, or sometimes serrulate, the upper sessile, somewhat 

 clasping, 27 cm. long, the lower and basal ones spatulate, or oblong, narrowed 

 into margined petioles, sometimes coarsely toothed; heads usually numerous, about 

 25 mm. broad; bracts of the involucre with rhomboid acute herbaceous tips; rays 

 violet to purple. Conn, to Penn., Va., N. Car.(?) and Ark. 



38 Aster pnrpuratus Nees. SOUTHERN SMOOTH ASTER. (I. F. f. 3770.) 

 Stem slender, glabrous, simple, or branched above, 4-12 dm. high, the branches some- 

 times puberulent. Leaves firm, glabrous, dark green, entire, the upper sessile and 

 clasping at the base, elongated-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 5-12 cm. 

 long, 4-8 mm. wide, the lower and basal ones petioled, oblong-lanceolate, obtusish, 

 those of the branches very small; heads rather few, loosely paniculate, 16-25 mrn - 

 broad; involucre campanulate to turbinate, its bracts coriaceous, linear, appressed, 

 green-tipped, acute, imbricated in several series; rays 5-10, blue or violet, 6-10 

 mm. long; pappus tawny; achenes glabrous. Va. and W. Va. to Ga. and Tex. 

 Aug. -Sept. 



39. Aster junceus Ait. RUSH ASTER. (I. F. f. 3771.) Stem very slender, 

 glabrous, or minutely pubescent above, simple or little branched, 3-9 dm. high. 

 Leaves firm, glabrous, narrowly linear, entire, or sometimes with a few distant 

 teeth, acute or acuminate, sessile by a broad clasping and often slightly cordate 

 base, 7-15 cm. long, 3-8 mm. wide; heads paniculate, rather distant, about 25 

 mm. broad ; involucre hemispheric, about 6 mm. high, its bracts glabrous, linear- 

 subulate, very acute, imbricated in 3 or 4 series, the outer shorter; rays violet to. 



