(A) Aster umbellatus is a common species of white 
aster found growing in moist woodland or thickets. It 
has smooth, leafy, branching stems from 2 to 6 feet tall. 
The numerous flower heads are in compound flat- 
topped corymbs; the center, or disc florets, are greenish- 
yellow and are surrounded by a few white rays, usually 
less than a dozen. It is a common species throughout 
the northern parts of the United States. 
(B) Sharp-leaved Wood Aster (Aster acuminatus) 
is a low-growing woodland aster growing from 1 to 3 
feet in height. The leaves are quite large, sharply- 
pointed, sharply toothed and short-stemmed. A few al¬ 
ternate along the lower portions of the stem and a 
number are so closely together as to appear whorled 
about the stem, just below the flowers. The flowers are 
few in number, on slender pedicels. They have few 
white rays and a rather brownish center; the rays are 
long, narrow, often wavy and give the flower a spread 
of from 1 to iy 2 inches. It is quite a common species 
in cool rich woods from Labrador to Ontario and south 
to Pa. It blooms during August and September. 
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