416 



THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



plants in onr flower-gardens, under the name of Michaelmas Daisies. 

 Our China Asters belong to a nearly allied genus (perhaps a mere 

 section) from eastern Asia. 



1. Sea Aster. Aster Tripolium, Linn. (Fig. 493.) 

 . (Eng. Bot. t. 87.) 



A glabrous perennial, seldom above a 

 foot high, erect, or decumbent at the 

 base, and slightly branched ; the leaves 

 linear, entire, and somewhat succu- 

 lent. Flower-heads in a rather compact 

 corymb, the involucral bracts few and 

 oblong. Florets of the ray purplish, 

 not numerous, and occasionally wanting ; 

 those of the disk longer than the invo- 

 lucre ; the pappus also longer than the 

 involucre. 



In salt-marshes, common in Europe 

 and Russian Asia, except the extreme 

 north. Extends along the British coasts 

 to the north of Scotland. Fl. late in sum- 

 mer, or autumn. 



Fig. 493. 



IV. ERIGERON. EKIGERON. 



Differs from Aster in the involucral bracts very narrow and nu- 

 merous, and in the outer florets very numerous, either filiform and not 

 projecting beyond the involucre and pappus, or very narrow-ligulate, 

 forming a short, coloured ray. The regular, tubular, yellowish florets 

 in the centre often reduced to very few. 



Its geographical range is even more extended than that of Aster, for 

 several species are natives of the tropics ; some are found in the ex- 

 treme Arctic regions, or on the summits of the Alps, whilst others 

 spread as weeds nearly all over the globe. 



Outer florets all filiform, not projecting beyond the involucre. 



Heads very numerous, and small 3. Canadian E. 



Outer florets (some or all) forming a shortly projecting 



coloured ray. 



