202 DESCRIPTION OF ASTER; DIVARICATI 
base, without sinus, closely slit-serrate but with entire acumination. 
m are most caulines and the first axiles; about 3 x 11% in., or 
1. Lowest caulines on large plants sometimes 2 wx 2x in; 
s first ones apt to be remarkably small and broad, 11% x r in. 
or less. 
Teeth sharp, conspicuous, rather close, but not large, chiefly of 
slit-serrate type, everywhere continuous except on the acumination 
Cb 
Aster castaneus 
FIG, 35. 
and sometimes on the ultimate rameals ; becoming in the inflor- 
escence mostly remotely low-serrate, and in the lowest broader 
cordated leaves becoming coarser and outflung. 
Leaves very apt to be decurrent down their petioles on one 
side ; even the rameals are so occasionally ; some plants choked 
under tall tangles of blackberry and smilax show still stronger de- 
currence into long cuneate wings, 1% in. long or more. 
Inflorescence deep and narrow, very peculiar when character- 
istically developed, pressing into a convex or flattish top of sepa- 
rated branches each of which repeats the general structure, the 
-" ME 
