35. Aster Concinnus Willd. Narrow-Leaved Smooth Aster

Fig. 4316

Aster concinnus Willd. Enum. 884. 1809.

Similar to narrow-leaved forms of Aster laevis, and perhaps a race of that species, glabrous, or sparingly pubescent above, not glaucous; stem paniculately branched, 1°-3° high. Leaves light green, lanceolate to linear, entire, or sometimes serrulate, the upper sessile, somewhat clasping, 1'-3 long, the lower and basal ones spatulate, or oblong, narrowed into margined petioles, sometimes coarsely toothed; heads usually numerous, about 10" broad; bracts of the involucre with rhomboid acute herbaceous tips; rays violet to purple.

Woodlands, Connecticut to Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas. Sept.-Oct.

36. Aster Purpuratus Nees. Southern Smooth Aster

Fig. 4317

Aster virgatus Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 2: 353. 1824. Not Moeneh, 1802. A. purpuratus Nees, Gen. & Sp. Ast. 118. 1832.

Stem slender, glabrous, simple, or branched above, 1 1/2°-3° high, the branches sometimes pu-berulent. Leaves firm, glabrous, dark green, entire, the upper sessile and clasping at the base, elongated-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 2r-6' long, 2"-4" wide, the lower and basal ones petioled, oblong-lanceolate, obtusish, those of the branches very small; heads rather few, loosely paniculate, 8"-12" broad; involucre campanulate to turbinate, its bracts coriaceous, linear, appressed, green-tipped, acute, imbricated in several series, the outer shorter; rays 5-10, blue or violet, 3"-5" long, pappus tawny; achenes glabrous.

Virginia and West Virginia to Georgia and Texas. Aug.-Sept.

37. Aster Junceus Ait. Rush Aster

Fig. 4318

Aster junceus Ait. Hort. Kew. 3: 204. 1789.

Aster longulus Sheldon, Bull. Geol. Surv. Minn. 9: 18, pl. 2. 1894.

Aster junciformis Rydb. Bull. Torr. Club 37: 142. 1910.

Stem very slender, glabrous, or pubescent above, simple or little branched, 1°-3° high. Leaves firm, glabrous, roughish-margined, narrowly linear, entire or sometimes with a few distant teeth, acute or acuminate at the apex, sessile by a broad clasping and often slightly cordate base, 3'-6' long, 1 1/2"-4" wide; heads paniculate, rather distant, about 1' broad; involucre hemispheric, about 3" high, its bracts glabrous, linear-subulate, very acute, imbricated in 3 or 4 series, the outer shorter; rays violet to white, 4"-5" long; pappus pale.

In swamps and bogs, Nova Scotia to British Columbia, New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin and Colorado. July-Sept.

38. Aster Adscendens Lindl. Western Aster

Fig. 4319

A. adscendens Lindl.; Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 8. 1834.

Stem slender, rigid, glabrous, or sparingly hirsute-pubescent, branched or simple, 6'-2° high. Leaves firm, entire, rough-margined, sometimes ciliolate, those of the stem linear-lanceolate or linear-oblong, acute or obtusish, 1'-3' long, 2"-5" wide, sessile by a more or less clasping base; basal leaves spatulate, narrowed into short petioles; heads not numerous, about 1' broad; involucre hemispheric, its bracts imbricated in 3-5 series, oblong-linear or spatulate, their tips obtuse or obtusish, slightly spreading, the inner often mucronulate; pappus nearly white; achenes pubescent.

On prairies and moist banks, western Nebraska to Wyoming, Montana, Assiniboia, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. July-Sept.