GENUS 31. THISTLE FAMILY. 433 
_ Aster lutéscens (Lindl.) T. & G. is a very interesting race with Jight yellow rays, known from 
Illinois, Wisconsin and Saskatchewan. Yellow rays are otherwise almost or quite unknown in the 
genus Aster as here limited. 
73. Aster tenuifolius L. Perennial Salt- 
marsh Aster. Fig. 4354. 
Aster tenuifolius L. Sp. Pl. 873. 1753. 
Aster flexuosus Nutt. Gen. 2: 154. 1818. 
Perennial, glabrous and fleshy; stem flexuous, 
striate, at least when dry, sparingly and loosely 
branched, 1°-2° high. Stem leaves linear, entire, 
acute, sessile or partly clasping at the base, the 
lowest lanceolate-linear, 2’-6’ long, 2’-3’ wide, 
those of the branches minute, bract-like, ap- 
pressed; heads rather few, 6-12” broad, termi- 
nating the branches; involucre turbinate, about 
4” high, its bracts lanceolate, acuminate or mu- 
cronate, glabrous, green on the back or tip, ap- 
pressed, imbricated in about 5 series, the outer 
shorter; rays numerous, longer than the pappus, 
pale purple or nearly white; pappus tawny; 
achenes hispid-pubescent, 5-nerved. 
_.In salt marshes, coast of Massachusetts to Flor- 
ida. Aug.—Oct. 
74. Aster exilis Ell. Slim Aster. Fig. 4355. 
Aster exilis Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 2: 344. 1824. 
Aster divaricatus T.& G. Fl. N. A. 2: 163. 1841. Not L. 1753. 
Annual, glabrous, fleshy; stem slender, usually much 
branched, the branches usually divergent. Leaves linear 
to linear-lanceolate, 1’-4’ long, 1’’—23” wide, entire, sessile, 
acute or acuminate, or the lowest narrowly oblong, 3”-4” 
wide and petioled, those of the branches subulate; heads 
numerous, panicled, about 5” broad; involucre campanu- 
late, about 3” high, its bracts linear-subulate, appressed, 
imbricated in 3 or 4 series; rays purplish, about 2” long, 
mostly fewer than the disk-flowers, longer than the pappus ; 
achenes somewhat pubescent. 
In moist or wet soil, especially in saline situations, Kansas to 
Texas, South Carolina and Florida. Bahamas; Cuba: Aug.—Oct. 
7s. Aster subulatus Michx. Annual Salt- 
marsh Aster. Fig. 4356. 
Aster subulatus Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 111. 1803. 
Aster linifolius T. & G. Fl. N. A, 2: 162. 1841. Not 
Le 19753. 
Annual, glabrous and fleshy; stem paniculately 
branched, flexuous above, 1°-6° high, slightly an-° 
gled, sometimes 1’ in diameter at the base, but 
usually smaller. Stem leaves linear-lanceolate, 
acute, entire, sessile by a broad or slightly clasping 
base, 2’-10’ long, 1-8” wide, those of the branches 
very small and subulate; heads numerous, 3-5” 
broad; involucre campanulate, or at length hemi- 
spheric, 2-3” high, its bracts linear-subulate, 
green, imbricated in 3 or 4 series, the outer shorter ; 
rays 20-30, purplish, scarcely exceeding the nearly 
white pappus, more numerous than the disk- 
flowers; achenes compressed, minutely pubescent. 
In salt marshes, coast of New Brunswick to Flor- 
ida. Also on salt lands Onondaga Lake, N. Y. Aug.— 
Nov. 8 
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