COMPOSITJE. (composite FAMILY.) 191 



S. Am Kildula, Ait. Stem simple or coiymbose at the summit, smooth, 

 many-leaved (l°-3° high) ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, pointed,sliarpli/ serrate in the 

 middle, very rough both sides and rugose-veined, closely sessile (2' -3' long), nearly 

 equal ; scales of the bell-shaped involucre oblong, appressed, unth very short and 

 slightly spreading herbaceous tips; achenia smooth. — Bogs and low grounds, 

 Delaware to Maine and noi-thward, near the coast. Aug. — Rays light violet. 

 Involucre nearly smooth, except the ciliate margins. 



4. A. surculosus, Michx. Stems slender (i°-l° high), from long and 

 slender, or hero and there tuberous-thickened, creeping subterranean shoots or suck- 

 ers, roughlsh-pubescent above, 1 -.2- or corymbosely several-flowered ; leaves 

 roughish, obscurely tootlied, lanceolate or the lower oblong-spatulate ; involucre 

 dbconical or bell-shaped (i'-^' long), the whitish and coriaceous sadcs with short 

 herbaceous tips, the outer ones shorter ; achenia slightly pubescent. — Var. gkA,ci- 

 Lis (A. gracilis, Nutt.) is a form with the scales of the narrower obconical invo- 

 lucre successively shorter and with very short and scarcely spreading green tips, 

 resembling a Sericocarpus. — Moist grounds, pine barrens of New Jersey and 

 southward. Sept. — Bays about 12, violet, J' long. — Perhaps runs into the 

 next. 



5. A. spectdbilis, Ait. Stems (1°- 2° high) minutely rough and glan- 

 dular-pubescent at the summit ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, roughish, obscurely toothed, 

 tapering to the base ; scales of the short and almost hemispherical involucre linear- 

 obhng, with conspicuous spatulate glandular-dtmmy tips, the outermost scarcely shorter ; 

 achenia slightly pubescent. — Sandy soil, Massachusetts to New Jersey, near 

 the coast, and southward. Sept. -Nov. — One of the handsohiest of the genus, 

 though the heads are few. The rays, about 20, are naiTowly lanceolate, nearly 

 1' long, very deep violet-blue. Involucre ^' long and wide. 



§ 3. ASTER PHOPER. — Scales of the involucre imbricated in various degrees, with 

 herbaceous or leaf-like summits, or the outer ones entirely foliaceous : rays numerous: 

 pappus soft and nearly uniform : achenia flattened. (All flowering late in sum- 

 mer or in autumn.) 



* Leaves silvery-silky both sides, all sessile and entire, mucronulate : involucre imbri- 

 cated in 3 to several rows : rays showy, purple-violet. 



6. A. sericeilS, Vent. Stems slender, branched ; leaves lanceolate or 

 oblong ; heads mostly solitary, terminating the short silvery branchlcts ; scales of 

 the globular involucre similar to the leaves, spreading, except tlie short coriaceous 

 base, silvery ; achenia smooth, many-ribbed. — Prairies and diy banks, Wisconsin 

 to Kentucky and southward. — An elegant silvery species ; the large heads with 

 20 - 30 rays of J' or more in length. 



7. A. cfincolor, L. Stems wand-like, nearly simple ; leaves crowded, ob 

 long or lanceolate, appressed, the upper reduced to little bracts ; heads in a simple or 

 compound wand-like raceme ; scales of the obovoid involucre closely imbricated in 

 several rows, appressed, rather rigid, silky, lanceolate ; achenia silky. — Dry sandy 

 soil, pine barrens of New Jersey and southward. — A handsome plant, l°-3° 

 high, with the short leaves 1' or less in length, grayish-silky and of the same 

 hue botli sides. Rays bright violet-purple. 



