WILD FLOWERS BLUE AND PURPLE 
Newfoundland to Maine and Georgia, during August, 
September and October. There are a number of 
varieties of this species several of which have been 
described, but as they are still more or less confused, 
they have been disregarded in this description. 
RED-STALK. PURPLE-STEM, OR EARLY PURPLE 
ASTER. SWANWEED. COCASH. 
MEADOW SCABISH 
Aster puniceus. Thistle Family. 
A variable, tall, stout, rough-hairy and generally 
purple-stemmed species, commonly found in low, 
moist thickets and swampy places from July to Novem- 
ber. It rises from three to eight feet, and branches 
widely at the top. The long, oval or lance-shaped 
leaves have a tapering point, and clasp the stalk with 
a broad or narrow, heart-shaped base. The mar- 
gins are regularly and coarsely toothed, or sparingly 
so, in the middle. The upper surface is very rough, 
and the under side of the midrib is hairy. The numer- 
ous flower heads are from one-half to one and one-half 
inches broad. From twenty to forty long, narrow, 
showy lilac-blue or white rays surround the yellow, 
tubular disc florets, which are prettily set in a loose, 
spreading, green cup. They are profusely arranged 
in terminal clusters on the tips of the branches, 
and are very attractive. This is one of the very . 
earliest-blooming of the Aster group, and is found 
almost everywhere from Nova Scotia to Western 
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