COMPOSITAE 



COMPOSITE FAMILY 



HEATH ASTER 



Aster cricoidcs L. 



The Heath Aster is a common white flower in dry open places 

 from Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida and Missouri, bloom- 

 ing from August to October. It is usually quite bushy, 1-3 feet 

 high and smooth throughout. The 

 lowest leaves are oblong and some- 

 times toothed, but all are narrow 

 and rigid. 



The small heads are usually very 

 numerous and about one-halt inch 

 broad. The leathery, linear to 

 lanceolate bracts of the hemi- 

 spherical or bell-shaped involucre 

 have green tips. The 15-25 ray 

 flowers are white or rarely rose to 

 purplish and the pappus is com- 

 posed of white bristles. 



The Many-flowered Aster, Aster 

 muhiflorus Ait., is also very common, 

 especially in sandy places and on 

 prairies. The stem is much branched, 

 bushy and usually somewhat hairy, 

 and 1-3 feet high. The innumerable 

 linear leaves are rigid, crowded, ses- 

 sile and rough or hairy along the 

 margins. Those of the main stem are 

 one-half to i>^ inches long, but those 

 on the branches are very small. The 

 heads are small, densely crowded and 

 nearly sessile. There are 10-20 white 

 ray flowers. The pappus is brownish 

 white. At least some of the bracts ot 

 the involucre are bristly hairy, which is not true of the Heath Aster. 



The Red-stemmed Aster, Aster puniceus L., is a very tall branched 

 species which grows in swamps. It is stout and rough hairy through- 

 out or in lines along the 6-8-foot red stem. The oblong, sessile and 

 clasping leaves are very rough above and slightly hairy or smooth 

 beneath. The 20-40 rays are very showy, violet-purple and one-half 

 inch long or more. The pappus is white and the akenes are yellowish 

 because of their hairy cover. 



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