THE GENUS ASTER. 



9 



the typical form, and lias the large deep violet flowers clustered 

 in very loose panicles. There is little doubt that attentive search 

 can find a more compact form which will be more desirable as a 

 garden variety. Omitting certain species which are from our far 

 and middle West, we come to one of the handsomest plants of 

 the whole section, namely, A. Novce-Anglice. The rays are very 

 numerous and of a charming brilliancy of colour, whether we 

 have the variety with rose or with purple flowers. The rose- 

 coloured variety is a true race, coming true from seed for the 

 most part. Individuals which have been under cultivation for a 

 long period do not show the least tendency to lose their peculiar 

 bright rose. When well grown this plant attains a height 

 of ten feet, and is conspicuous for its highly leafy character. 

 Its strength and marked individuality would indicate this 

 as an excellent species to serve as the basis for hybridising 

 experiments. 



The next species to be mentioned in this short list is one with 

 firm, nearly entire leaves, mostly smooth, and with showy heads, 

 the rays light purple or violet. This is A. SJwrtii, and belongs 

 to the woodland banks of Kentucky, although extending far 

 beyond these limits. It has long been a favourite in the Harvard 

 University garden, where its next neighbour is a species with deep 

 purple flowers. Associated with this are other species with 

 petioled heart-shaped leaves, such as undulatus, cordifolms, 

 Drummondii, and sagittifolius, all of which are widely diffused.,,, 

 By far the largest group in this subgenus comprises the species 

 with root-leaves which taper more or less, in no case heart- 

 shaped and petioled, except in the interesting and obscure inter- 

 mediate forms occasionally met with. These latter species are 

 classified by Dr. Gray around the types A. Icevis, A. ericoides, 

 A. multiflorus, and the remainder in two classes, Divergentes 

 and Vulgares. 



A. Icevis is allied to the garden plant A. versicolor and the 

 South-western species, tnrbinellus and virgatus. Intermediate 

 forms connect Icevis and virgatus. 



A. ericoides varies widely, but generally has rather small 

 heads ; A. polypliyllas of the same group has showy heads and has 

 long been known in gardens. All of the species in the foregoing 

 alliances seem likely to improve under cultivation. The great 

 change which takes place in some individuals of ericoides is in 



