148 DESCRIPTION OF ASTER; DIVARICATI 
firm, slightly roughened, at least when dry, dark green, pale 
beneath, yellowish in autumn. Sinus moderate, soon shallow, 
followed by truncate bases along the middle stem, and above by 
rounded bases. Teeth not conspicuous, chiefly low-curvescent, 
irregular, with short and long and occasional straight-backed 
teeth intermixed. Petioles slender, short, shorter than the leaf- 
breadth ; some upper or axile petioles are often narrowly winged. 
Axiles few, oblong-linear, acuminate, usually sessile by a rounded 
base. Rameals minute, discoid. Radicals subcircular, low-cre- 
nate, 1'% X 1 in., with a broad shallow sinus. 
Characteristic leaves (lower caulines) usually 4 x 2% or 3 in.; 
lowest leaves smaller, 21% x 2, etc., less toothed or even entire ; 
primordial leaves below these usually deciduous early, sometimes 
3, subentire, cordate-acute and oval-acute, 34 in. broad and long, 
etc. Upper caulines lance-acuminate, either incurved or straight- 
sided, 237 x I in. or less. 
Inflorescence small, crowded, convex; typical pedicels fili- 
form, Z7 in. long or more, erect and tangled together in a con- 
fused mass. 
Rays remaining erect or suberect long after opening, usually 
about 7, remote, thicker in substance than in many allied species, 
flat and dull white while erect, their form oblong but often a little 
broader toward the tip. The rays presently become deeply can- 
aliculate and long remain so ; finally completely involute and oliva- 
ceous, by this time usually horizontal and but } their original 
breadth. Virescence and involution are sometimes HEN devel- 
oped erui still vei Rays when but little involute measure after 
drying 4*; in. long, ṣẹ broad, or more 
Disks early turning crimson or maroon (while the rays are 
yet erect), and often very dark. Stigmas at first whitish, becoming 
purplish-crimson 
Bracts rather broad, thin, broadly white-scarious margined, 
truncate or rounded at the apex, toward which the sides taper 
somewhat ; a few lowest are acutish; the inmost, attenuate-linear, 
obtuse, with but a narrow green midrib; the rest all with a broad 
green medial stripe, expanded abruptly into a very short and 
broad green ti 
Earlier heads on strong plants have very often 10, sometimes 
13, rays, and with increased breadth toward the apex. 
— Erect position of rays perhaps is associated in part with their 
thicker texture. In the Divaricati, as a rule, the rays are erect in 
daylight only while terete or tubular-involute, before the disk 
flowers begin opening ; and by the time of flattening the rays have 
not only become flat transversely but are horizontal. In A. erectus. 
