Aster. COMPOSIT.E. 335 



An immense genus, and perplexing even to tlic experienced botanist. Many of the species arc very diflicult lo 

 characterize, especially those belonging to the section of Aster proper. I have followed very closely the arrangement 

 and description of the species as they are given in the Flora of North America. 



^ 1. BiOTiA, DC. Scales appressed, nearly desliluie of herbaceous tips; brisllesof the pappus unequal, 

 rather rigid, the inner series mostly a little thickened towards the apex ; achenia slender, 

 scarcely compressed : leaves ample, mostly pelioled, coarsely serrate ; the radical ones cordate. 



1. Aster corymbosus, Ait. Corymhed Aster. 



Stem slender, often flexuous, terete ; leaves membranaceous, coarsely or incisely and un- 

 equally serrate with sharp spreading teeth, conspicuously acuminate, all but the uppermost 

 cordate and on slender naked petioles, ovate or ovate-lanceolate ; heads loosely corymbose ; 

 involucre shorter than the disk ; the exterior scales roundish-ovate ; rays (white) 6-9. — 

 Ait. Kew. (ed. 1.) 3. p. 207 ; Pursk,Jl. 2. p. 552 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 365 ; Bigel.fl. Bost.p. 314 ; 

 Torr. compend. p. 299 ; Beck, hot. p. 187. Eurybia corymbosa, Cass. ; Nees, Ast. p. 143 ; 

 Lindl. hot. reg. t. 1532; Hook. Jl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 14; narlingt.fi. Cest. p. 69. Biotia 

 corymbosa, DC. prodr. 5. p. 265. 



Stem 1^ — 2 feet high, smooth, often purple, corymbosely branched at the summit. Leaves 

 2-4 inches long, thin and nearly smooth, except a little pubescence on the veins underneath ; 

 uppermost ones sessile : petioles 1-2 inches long. Heads usually rather few, in a loose 

 fastigiate corymb. Scales of the involucre pubescent on the margin ; the rest smooth. Rays 

 narrow. Pappus tawny. Achenia nearly smooth when mature, sparsely hairy when young. 



Dry woods ; common. Fl. July - August. 



2. Aster macrophyllus, Linn. Large-leaved Aster. 



Stem stout, roughish-pubescent above , the corymbose branches rigid ; leaves thickish, 

 rough, closely serrate, somewhat acuminate ; the radical and lower ones cordate, on slender 

 petioles , the upper sessile or on margined petioles ; heads in large corymbs ; involucre nearly 

 the length of the disk ; scales rigid, oblong or ovate-oblong ; rays (white or purplish) 12 - 15. 

 — Linn. sp. (ed. 2.) p. 1232 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 114; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 552; Bigel. fl. Bast, 

 p. 314 ; Beck, hot. p. 187. Eurybia macrophylla, Cass. ; Nees, Ast. p. 140 (excl. syn. Ait. 

 divaric.) ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 465 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 14. Biotia macrophylla, 

 BC. prodr. 5. p. 265. 



Stem 2-3 feet high, with a large corymbose summit, striate-angled, often purplish. 

 Radical leaves 4-8 inches long and 3-5 wide, roundish-cordate or cordate-oblong, coarsely 

 crenate-serrate, the teeth mucronate, a little hairy on the veins underneath : petioles 3-8 

 mches long : cauline leaves ovate or oblong, the lower ones abruptly narrowed into a winged 

 petiole. Heads much larger than in the preceding species ; exterior scales ciliate ; inner ones 

 larger and membranaceous. Rays mostly white, sometimes pale blue. Pappus reddish- 

 tawny. 



Dry open woods ; not rare. August - September. 



Biotia Schreberi, glomerata and latifolia, DC. seem to be only slight varieties of this 

 species. 



