6o FLOWERS OF FIELD, HILL, AND SWAMP 



51. Golden-rod 



Solidago uUginbsa is one of our earliest golden-rods, coming 

 into flower sometimes early in July. The leaves are lance- 

 shaped and pointed. The flowers are small, much crowded 

 into long, narrow panicles. The root-leaves are sometimes 

 nearly a foot long. It grows in peat-bogs. 2 to 3 feet high. 



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S. pdtula has angled, smooth stems. Leaves long, smooth 

 underneath, but rough above. This unusual roughness of the 

 upper surface of the leaves will identify the species. The 

 flower-heads are rather large, in short racemes terminating 

 in spreading branches. 2 to 4 feet high. 



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.S. Ellihttii and S. Negl'ecta are swamp species. Both are 

 smooth plants with strong stems, the flowers ip showy, spread- 

 ing racemes, i to 4 feet high. 



54. Asters 



The asters — distinguished, often handsome, members of the 

 Composite Family — seldom bloom before August. They are 

 essentially a fall flower, mingling their bright purple or blue 

 or white rays tastefully with the golden-rods and sunflowers. 

 They grow with us everywhere, and being, with few excep- 

 tions, perennials, reappear year after year in their own chosen 

 haunts. The disks are yellow, sometimes turning to brown or 

 purple. Asters grow upon the stems and branches variously, 

 sometimes closely, in bunches, or in corymbs or loose pani- 

 cles. Many species are subject to great variations, and they 

 run into each other. They vary in size from small buttons to 

 a silver half-dollar. The name means a star. There are over 

 50 species given in Gray's manual. Our commonest will be 

 arranged in the following chapters : 



