COMPOSITE FAMILY. Compositae. 



A rather northern species. The stem 

 Arrow-leaved gtiff> erec t, and with nearly upright 

 A st er branches. The light olive green leaves 



sugittifolius thin, broad lance-shaped, and sparingly 

 Light violet toothed toward the top of the stem, but 

 August- somewhat arrow-shaped lower down. The 



small, light violet flowers are not showy ; 

 there are 10-14 rays about inch long. 2-4 feet high. 

 In dry soil. Me., south to Ky., west to Pa., and N. Dak. 



Variable but handsome, with light violet 

 Smooth Aster . 



Aster Icevis or P a * er blue- violet flowers about an inch 

 Light violet broad, and nearly if not entirely toothless, 

 September- smooth, light green leaves, lance-shaped, 

 October stemless, and clasping the plant-stem with 



a somewhat heart-shaped base. The flowers with 15-30 

 rays. Stem 2-4 feet high, smooth, and sometimes cov- 

 ered with a light bloom. Dry soil, roadsides, and bor- 

 ders of woods ; common everywhere. 



A tiny white aster common in southern 

 Dau" o'r""* New York ' New Jerse y"> and Pennsylvania. 

 Heath Aster Stem generally smooth and closely set 

 Aster ericoides above with tiny, heathlike, linear, light 

 White green leaves, the few basal ones blunt 



September- lance-shaped and slightly toothed ; all are 



rather rigid. The tiny white flowers with 

 yellow discs are like miniature daisies ; there are 16-24 

 narrow rays sometimes lightly tinted with magenta. 

 This aster has spread beyond its original limits through 

 cultivation by bee-keepers ; its yield of nectar is large, 

 and it is an especial favorite of the honeybee. 1-3 feet 

 high. Common in dry fields and on roadsides, from Me. , 

 south, and west from south N. Eng. to Wis. and Ky. 



Another tiny-flowered aster, with hairy, 

 Many-flowered often brownish stems. The tiny, linear, 



light green leaves are fine-hairy or rough. 

 multiflorus The dense flower-clusters are crowded 

 White or with white or lilac-white flowers scarcely 



lilac-white i inch broad, with 12-20 rays. Stems 



NovVmbeV' bush J- *~ 4 feet hi g h - Common in dry 

 open places, from southern N. Eng., south 

 and west. Rare in Me., and absent in northern N. H. 

 490 



