146 CALIFORNIA. [Composite. 



1. Aster Californicus ; caule brevi-adscendente piloso vix ramoso, ramis ante apicem 

 aphyllis unifloris, foliis carnosulis spathulatis apice mucronulatis petiolatis glabris hispido- 

 ciliatis, involucri foliolis imbricatis anguste linearibus acuminatis hirsuto-villosis. — Lessing 

 in Linncca, v. 6. p. 121. 



The ray, judging- from the dried specimen, appears to he of a reddish colour. Mr. Menzies detected this 

 plant in California, during the voyage of Captain Vancouver. 



2. Astei* speetabilis; radice bienni? caule ramoso inferne glabro ad medium linea duplici 

 piloso sursum hirsutiusculo, foliis oblongo-lanceolatis glabris basi auriculato-amplexicaulibus 

 margine scabris inferioribus praecipue medio serratis, involucri foliolis oblongis acutiusculis. 

 — Ait. ? — Spreng. Syst. v. 3. p. 538 ? 



The leaflets of the involucre are prohahly squarrose, although they do not present that appearance in the 

 dried plant, whence arise our douhts ; hut as in this very difficult genus, it is almost impossible to describe 

 in words the slight differences between the species, and as neither figures nor authentic specimens are accessible 

 for the purposes of elucidation, it is not unlikely that the present may either prove to be a new species, or 

 something very distinct from Aiton's plant. 



3. Aster ? filaginifolias ; caule ramoso, ramis divaricato-patentibus gracilibus fragilibus 

 lanuginosis ramulis ultimis unifloris elongatis, foliis distantibus oblongo-spatlmlatis mucronu- 

 latis basi attenuatis venosis dense subtus praecipue breviter albido-lanatis, involucri foliolis 

 glabris oblongo-lanceolatis margine membranaeeis, stigmatibus apice aspergilliformibus, 

 flosculis radii neutris. 



The only species to which this approaches is Aster sericeus, Vent. ; but whether, like it, the stems are 

 shrubby, the specimen before us can scarcely permit us to say : we think they are. The fioccose tomentum 

 on the stem and branches is easily rubbed off. Upper leaves entire ; lower ones probably furnished with a 

 few sharp serratures near their apex, at least one or two of the lower ones on the specimen in the Collection 

 are so. Florets of the ray emarginate, and neuter. Stigmas of the disc exserted, furnished about their 

 extremity with a conspicuous tuft of hairs ; which double character seems to remove this plant from Aster. 

 Pappus brown, scabrous. A fragment of another allied, but certainly different species, exists in the Collection, 

 which may be characterised as follows: — 



4. Aster ? tomentellus; caule fruticoso ramoso, ramulis divergentibus lanuginosis elongatis 

 versus apicem paucifloris, foliis subappressis approximatis lineari-oblongis rigide mucronatis 

 utrinque albido-lanatis, pedunculis breviusculis bracteatis, involucri foliolis oblongo-spathu- 

 latis laxis apice tomentosis, stigmatibus apice aspergilliformibus, flosculis radii neutris. 



1. Aplopappus ericoides; fruticulosus, ramosus, ramis apice pedunculos paucos bracteatos 

 unifloros gerentibus, foliis acerosis teretibus divaricatis pubescentibus in axillis ramulos 

 abortivos foliatos foventibus, involucri foliolis glabriusculis ciliatis, pappi serie exteriore dimidio 

 breviore. — Diplopappus ericoides. Less, in Linn. v. 6. p. 117. 



We retain the genus Aplopappus of Cassini, for those species of Lessing's extended Diplopappus which 

 have the exterior row of the pappus similar to, and frequently as long as, the inner series. To this, probably, 

 Chrysopsis divaricata of Nuttall belongs. 



2. Aplopappus squarrosus ; fruticosus, ramosus, ramis pubescenti-hirsutis, foliis semiam- 

 plexicaulibus patentibus obovalibus glabris rigidis resinosis serratis, serraturis apice mucro- 

 natis recurvis, capitulis florum versus apicem ramorum axillaribus subsessilibus, involucri 

 campanulati foliolis foliaceis squarrosis, pappi serie exteriore dimidio breviore. 



