164 



COM posit.*:. 



Dry words; common. S j>t., Cct. .S'/mi 2 to 3 fret bigh, srreadlng. b;aring 

 numerous beads in racemose panide*. Lower leaiej heart .-bated, on long winged 

 petioles, which aw dilat- d and clasping al the 1 ase, or directly a FFile by a heart- 

 shai ed base. Heads middle-sized, with riotet-blue rave and yellow dL-ks, at length 

 becoming purple. 



5. * * * Lower leaves never heart-shaped; there of lie stem textile cr clasping; heads 

 smaller middle-sized; rays white, orpalellui- 



11. A. ericoides, L. Heath-leaved Aster. 



Smooth or sparingly hairy: h,v:er hares eblong-syatulate, sometimes tcothed; 

 the upper ones linear lanceolate cr linear awl-shaped, acute at both ends; scales of 

 the involucre imbricate, linear obtuse, somewhat squarrose. 



Dry open places. Aug— Cct. Stem 1 to 3 feet high, with the rlmple brarchlcta 

 or peduncles racemose along the upper Fide of the wand-like i nehes. 



Leaves very numerous and scmcuh.-.t rigid, thee of the stem 3 incht s in h 

 Heads Email, alout "20 rayed. Rays white or pale purple. Disk at kngth purplish 



12. A. MULTIFLORUS, Ait. Many -flowered Aster. 



Ilcary with minute pubescence; leaves crowded, linear, entire, with rough or 

 ciliate margins, somewhat C-nervcd; those pf the branch! ; and partly 



clasping at the base ; involucre linear or spatulate with loosely imbricate oblong, 

 ciliate, squarrorc scales. 



Dry gravelly or sandy soil: ccmnim. Sept., Cct. Slrvt about 2 feet high, with 

 numerous spreading racemose brain hes, usually coven d wilh a dense while ] al (■:- 

 cencc. Leaves 1 to 2 ind use, very narrow. Heads email, in crowded 



terminal racemes, on horizontal branches. Lays v. hite or purplish. Disk at length 

 purplnh. 



6. ****JLeavu r.cne of ihem heart-shaped; leads small cr middle sued; rays 

 white crpale buishpurple. 



13. A. dumosus L. Bushy Aster. 



Nearly smcoth; leaves linear entire or remotely eerratc, rough cnthemrrg : n 

 sessile; those of the branches retailer and acute; inv lucre inversely conical or 

 bell shared, with closely imbricated, Iincar-spatulate. obtuse scales. 



Thickets in dry or moist Boil; common. A variable species 1 to 3 



fret high. Stent loosely bronchi d, racemosely compound, with (be scattered heads 

 mostly solitary :.t the end of ihe rereading brain 1. lets. Leaves decreasing in sizo 

 to the branchiate, the upper small. Lays rale-pun k cr blue. 



14. A. Tbadeecantt, L. Tradescanfs Aster. 



Smootkish ; Ic.ives s. ssile, smco'.h, with rough margins; c.THZi'rcelir.oar-lanccolate 

 pointed; vivduae with imbricated, narrowly-linear, r.cute scales in 3 to 4 rows. 



Yar. PKAGJIXS; l.aics entire or nearly so, except the lowest; heads more scattered 

 on the brauohkts. 



Moi^t banks, fields, <fcc: very ccir.mcn. Aug.— Oct. Sent 2 to 4 feet high, 

 smooth, busby, the numerous heeds closely racem d along the met spread ng ox 

 diverging branches. Lever ttim leaves abcut 4\ii 



remotely serrate ha the midefte with flue sharp t<eth. gi Luced in sizo 



upwards. Heads s mall, ^ cry i.unn reus. 1. aj;s white cr i ale j uiple. 



15. 



A. mtser, L. Starved Aster. 



More cr less hairy ; stem much branched; leaves lanceolate, pointed cr acuminata 

 at each end, Eharpiy serrate in the middle; mvctvcrt imbricated with linear, acute 

 cr rather obtuse scales in 3 or 4 rows. 



Thi bets. fc\df. <te ; very common. Aug.— Cct. A very variable species, varying 

 in ht ight frcm S to 10 inc hes to :; to 4 feet, erect cr diffuse. Stem very branching 

 or nearly s -'uiplc, the bran hes usually diverging, bearing racemese often scatter, el 

 heads. Leaves varying trom narrow-lanceolate to broad ovate. 1 to 5 inches i»i 

 length. Heads usually numerous, with ihoit, inconspicuous pale bluobpurplo 

 or white rays. 



J 



