LII. COMPOSITE 
249 
8. MYRIACTIS. From the Greek murios , a thousand or 
many, and actis, a ray ; referring to the numerous, diverging 
heads. — Asia, Africa. 
Myriactis Wallichii, Less. ; FI. Br. Ind. iii. 247, including 
M. nepalensis, Less. An erect, much branched, pubescent or 
roughly hairy herb, 1-3 ft. Leaves alternate, ovate or lanceolate, 
1-4 in. ; teeth coarse and irregular, contiguous or distant ; stalks 
winged. Heads minutely radiate, hemispheric, varying from in. 
diam., paniculate on diverging stalks. Involucral bracts 3-4- 
seriate ; receptacle convex, naked ; ray-flowers white ; disk- 
flowers yellovb turning dull purple in fruit ; pappus none ; ligules 
entire ; corollas of disk-flowers 4-5-lobed. Achenes flat, smooth. 
Simla, common; June-September. — Temperate Himalaya, 4000-10,000 ft. 
— Central Asia. 
9. RHYNCHOSPERMUM. From the Greek rhynchos , a beak, 
and sperma, a seed ; referring to the achenes. — E. Asia. 
Rhynchospermum verticillatum, Reinw. ; FI. Br. Ind. iii. 248. 
A pubescent herb, 2-3 ft. ; branches slender, spreading. Leaves 
alternate, shortly stalked, lanceolate, 1-3 in., entire or faintly 
toothed, long-pointed. Heads radiate, hemispheric, J in. diam., 
on short, thick stalks, often one in every axil along the branches. 
Involucral bracts in few series, lanceolate, margins scarious ; 
receptacle flat, naked ; flowers all white or those of the disk pale 
yellow ; pappus of 3-8 bristles or none ; ligules entire or notched ; 
corollas of disk-flowers 4-5-lobed. Achenes flat, beaked. 
Valleys below Simla ; July-October. — Temperate Himalaya, 5000-6000 ft. 
— E. Asia 
10. ASTER. The classical name for some composite plant, 
derived from the Greek aster, a star ; referring to the radiate heads. 
— Most temperate and cold regions ; abundant in N. America. 
Erect, branched herbs. Leaves alternate. Heads radiate, 
large. Involucral bracts in few series ; receptacle flat or slightly 
convex, naked ; ray-flowers in one or two series, lilac or purple ; 
ligules long, entire or minutely toothed ; disk-flowers yellow, 
tubular, 5-toothed ; pappus copious, rough. Achenes flattened. 
Stems straight. Heads §-§ in. diam. . . . 1. A. molliusculus. 
Stems zigzag. Heads l§-2 in. diam. 
Leaves nearly sessile . . . . . . 2. A. Thomsoni. 
Leaves on winged stalks . . . . 3. A. asperulus. 
1 . Aster molliusculus, Wall. ; FI. Br. Ind. iii. 251 . Pubescent 
or hairy ; stems usually tufted, 12-24 in., slender, leafy, often 
