34 VARIATION IN ASTER 
also in A. spectabilis. It is increased by brushing the hand lightly 
across the glands, thus breaking them open; in that way it is 
made plain in any of the species from A. violaris to A. Herveyi 
inclusive, and in A. macrophyllus. So much odorous matter ad- 
heres to the fingers on lightly touching A. rosezdus in this way 
that the fingers retain its fragrance for some time. Probably this 
is the “ not-disagreeable odor” which Nees remarked upon, 1832, 
in A. commixtus, the only previous mention of odor in Aster 
which I recall in print. 
3. A delicate true fragrance exhaled from the flowers of A. 
fragrans, and sometimes in A. tenebrosus and some other Divaricatt ; 
but not continuously found in every individual of those species. I 
have been unable to find evidence to prove whether every flower 
of A. tenebrosus diffuses this fragrance for some brief period and 
then loses it; or whether it is peculiar to special conditions ; or 
to special individuals. Plants in which I have observed it have 
many flowers out at once, and these moderately close; are but 
just fully open ; are either in the shaded positions normal to the 
species, or perhaps a little more inclined to peep out toward the 
wood border. It is not perceived until within six inches or so 
from the flowers. Some other Biotian species not of the Divari- 
cati have this same fragrance, as A. uniformis. Outside of Aster, 
I cannot parallel the fragrance exactly, but think there is some 
resemblance in that of the lily-of-the-valley. 
4. An attar-fragrance, faintly suggesting attar of roses, is per- 
ceptible in A. fragrans and in many of the Divaricati after press- 
ing; chiefly from the dried inflorescence but also sometimes from 
the leaves; sometimes perceptible two feet away, but more often 
requiring as close a distance as an inch, when it becomes strongly 
perceptible to any one. It does not appear to occur during life, 
but is developed in drying, and in certain of the Divaricati selected 
to test the rapidity of its development, in plants which were tested 
when collected and which then did not possess this fragrance it was 
already well developed in three days or as soon as they were dry in 
the press. How long it lasts is uncertain ; certainly for three years 
in case of plants lying unmounted between papers. 
5. An anisate odor is perceived from the fresh, broken stem- 
bases and rootstocks of A. roscidus, and in less degree of many 
