ASTER. LXXV. COMPOSITE. 321 



cept the mid-vein beneath ; branch leaves few and much smaller. Heads mid- 

 dle-size, with 10 15 bluish purple rays. Sept. Nov. 



14. A. PUNICEUS. Red-stalked Aster. 



St. hispid, paniculate ; Irs. amplexicaul and more or less auriculate at 

 case, lanceolate, serrate, roughish above ; invol. loose, longer than the disk, 

 the scales linear-lanceolate, long and revolute, nearly equal and 2-rowed. A 

 large, handsome aster, common in swamps and ditches, sometimes in dry soils, 

 N. States and Can. Stem 4 Gf high, generally red, (at least on the south side), 

 furrowed, hispid. Lower leaves with remote serratures, rough-edged and rough 

 on the upper surface, all acuminate and narrowed at base. Flowers large and 

 showy. Rays 50 80, long and narrow, pale purple. Aug. Oct. 



15. A. FRENANTHolDES. Muhl. P renaiithes-like Aster. 



St. hairy or pubescent above, corymbose-paniculate ; Ivs. oval-lanceolate, 

 serrate, acuminate, attenuate at base into a long winged .petiole which is au- 

 riculate at the insertion ; invol. imbricated with several rows of linear, green- 

 tipped, spreading scales. Grows in low woods, N. Y. to Ky. Stem 2 3f high, 

 with a terminal, corymbose panicle of large heads on short peduncles. Rays 

 showy, pale blue. Leaves remarkable for the long, winged petiole, which is 

 dilated at its base into rounded, auriculate segments. Branch leaves smaller, 

 nearly entire. Sept. Nov. 



16. A. AMETHYSTlNUS. Nutt. Amethystine Aster. 



Hirsute ; st. racemose-paniculate ; Ivs. linear-lanceolate, entire, rough, 

 acute, with somewhat auriculate appendages at the clasping base.; invol. of 

 equal scales. Eastern Mass., Nuttall, &c. Heads small, with azure rays. 

 Aug. Oct. 



17. A. NOV.E ANGLIJE. New England Aster. 



Fls. terminal, crowded, somewhat fastigiate ; st. hispid, paniculate ; Ivs. 

 linear-lanceolate, amplexicaul, auriculate at base; scales of involucre equal, lax, 

 linear-lanceolate, rather longer than the disk. A large and beautiful aster, in 

 fields, meadows and shades, more common in the W. States ! than in N. Eng. ! 

 Stem 4 6f high, straight, erect, viscidly hairy, colored. Leaves very numer- 

 ous, narrow, entire, with 2 auricular appendages at base. Flowers large, in a 

 kind of loose, paniculate corymb. Ray-flowers deep purple, numerous (75 

 100). Sept. f 



* * * Leaves neither cordate nor auriculate, the margin serrate. 

 t Scales not spreading. '" ". 



18. A. TRADESCANTI. Tradescanl's Aster. 



Branches virgate, paniculate; Ivs. lanceolate, remotely serrate, sessile 

 smooth ; invol. closely imbricate ; st. round, slender, smooth.* A fine species 

 with numerous leaves, growing in fields, Mass, to La. Stem rigid, brownish 

 about 3f high, with numerous slender, racemose branches. Lower stem-leaves 

 narrowly lanceolate, 4' long, gradually reduced in size upwards. Heads small, 

 numerous, with pale purple rays. Aug. Oct. 



p.fragilis. T. & G. (A. fragilis. Willd.} Cauline leaves serrulate or entire, 

 short ; heads much scattered on the branches. 



19. A. MISER. Ait. T. & G. (A. miser, divergens, diffusus and pendulus. 

 Alt.} Starved Aster. St. racemose-paniculate, hairy or pubescent ; Ivs. 



sessile, lanceolate, sharply serrate in the middle ; invol. imbricated with acute 

 scales; rays short. A very variable species common in old fields, hedges, U. S. 

 and Can. ' In height it varies from 6 to 30', and in luxuriance proportionately 

 to the moisture or fertility of the soil. The stem is very branching or nearly 

 simple, bearing a large, compound, racemose panicle or a few simple racemes 

 Leaves varying from narrow-lanceolate to broad-oval, 1 5' in length. Heads 

 usually numerous, small, with small white or purple rays. 



0. diffusus. Branches spreading, diffuse ; Ivs. elliptical-lanceolate, more or 

 less narrowly so, midvein hairy beneath; hds. often sessile, forming short, 

 crowded spikes or long virgate ones. 



y. hirsuticaulis. T. & G. (A. hirsuticaul.is. Lindl.) St. hirsute; Ivs. Icng 



