GENUS 31. ' THISTLE FAMILY. 423 
43. Aster sericeus Vent. Western Silvery or 
Silky Aster. Fig. 4324. 
Aster sericeus Vent. Hort. Cels, pl. 33. 1800. 
Aster argenteus Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 111. 1803. 
Stem slender, paniculately or corymbosely branched, 
stiff, glabrous, leafy, 1°-2° high. Stem leaves sessile, 
with a broad base, oblong, entire, mucronate, 3’-1%’ 
long, 2’-5” wide, erect or ascending, with a dense 
silvery-white silky pubescence on both sides; basal 
and lowest leaves oblanceolate, narrowed into mar- 
gined petioles; heads numerous, about 13’ broad; in- 
volucre turbinate, its bracts oblong, or the inner 
lanceolate, canescent, imbricated in 3 or 4 series, their 
tips green, acute, spreading; rays 15-25, violet-blue, 
6-8” long; pappus tawny; achenes glabrous. 
In dry open soil, Illinois to Minnesota, Manitoba, 
South Dakota, Tennessee, Missouri and Texas. Aug.— 
Sept. : 
44. Aster céncolor L. Eastern Silvery 
Aster. Fig. 4325. 
Aster concolor L. Sp. Pl. Ed. 2, 1228. 1763. 
Stem slender, glabrous, or pubescent above, 
1°-23° high, leafy, simple, or with few erect 
branches. Leaves oblong or linear-oblong, 
finely and densely canescent on both sides, or 
the lower glabrate, sessile, obtuse or mucro- 
nate, 12’-2’ long; heads numerous in an elon- 
gated narrow raceme resembling Lacinaria; 
involucre broadly turbinate, its bracts linear 
or linear-oblong, appressed, canescent, imbri- 
cated in 4 or 5 series, their tips green, acute, 
the outer shorter; rays 10-15, lilac, 3-4” long; 
pappus tawny; achenes villous. 
In dry sandy soil, eastern Massachusetts and 
Rhode Island to Florida, Tennessee and Louisiana, 
mostly near the coast. Lilac-flowered aster. Aug.— 
Oct. 
45. Aster Féndleri A. Gray. Fendler’s 
Aster. Fig. 4326. 
Aster Fendleri A. Gray, Mem. Am. Acad. (II) 4: 66. 
1849. 
Aster Nuttallii var. Fendleri A.-Gray, Pac. R. R. Rep. 
4:97. 1856. 
Stems several or solitary from thick woody 
roots, rigid, hirsute, 6’-12’ high. Leaves linear, 
rigid, I-nerved, acute or acuminate, 8’-15” long, 
1-14” wide, glabrous on both sides, but the mar- 
gins bristly-ciliate; heads usually few and race- 
mose, 3’-1’ broad; involucre turbinate, its bracts 
glandular, linear-oblong, imbricated in about 4 
series, the inner acute, the outer shorter and ob- 
tuse; rays 10-15, violet, 3’-5” long. 
In dry soil on the plains, Nebraska and Kansas to 
Colorado and New Mexico. Aug.-Sept. 
