4. Aster Furcatus Burgess. Forking Aster

Fig. 4285

Aster furcatus Burgess; Britt. & Brown, III. Fl. 3: 358. 1898.

Stem leafy, 1 1/2 high, or less, loosely forked above. Leaves hispid above, hispidulous beneath, firm, sa-liently cut-toothed, the lower ovate, short-petioled, with a small or shallow sinus, the upper sessile, with broad laciniate winged bases, often 5' long by 2 1/2' wide, the uppermost elliptic-oblong, often 3 1/2' long; teeth long and low, sharp; heads few (5-20), slender-peduncled; involucre turbinate to campanulate, with a truncate or rounded base; rays 3-toothed; disk turning brown, the florets funnelform with rather broad lobes; pappus long, straight; achenes pubescent, subangular, not constricted at the summit.

In woods, especially on shaded cliffs, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Aug.-Oct.

5. Aster Glomeratus (Nees) Bernh. Bern- Hardi's Aster

Fig. 4286

Eurybia glomerata Nees, Gen. & Sp. Ast. 139. 1832. Aster glomeratus Bernh.; Burgess in Britt. & Brown, III. Fl. 3: 358. 1898.

Loosely clustered, dull green. Leaves not large, mostly short-pilose beneath, thickish, rough above; basal leaves present, these and the lower stem leaves cordate with a deep, narrow sinus, the teeth sharp, rather close and small; petioles slender, ciliate; upper leaves much smaller, ovate, truncate with a short broadly winged base, or the uppermost ovate to lanceolate, sessile, entire; inflorescence compact, of many glomerate clusters, round-topped; heads about 4" high; bracts pubescent, obtuse, green, the inner twice as long as the outer; rays about 6, cream-white, short, soon deciduous; disk turning brown.

In moist thickets or swamps, especially in ravines, Maine to New York and Virginia. July.

6. Aster Claytoni Burgess. Clayton's Aster

Fig. 4287

Aster Claytoni Burgess; Britt. & Brown, III. Fl. 3: 358. 1898.

Similar to A. divaricatus, stems red, tough. Leaves chiefly ovate-lanceolate, not large, rough, thick, slender-petioled, coarsely serrate, pale, or dull, the apex incurved-acuminate, the upper spreading or deflexed, sessile by a broad base, lanceolate-triangular, serrulate; inflorescence high, with percurrent axis, the long suberect branches each bearing a small umbelliform cluster of heads; peduncles filiform, as long as the heads, 3"-4" long; bracts pale; rays short, narrow, chiefly 6, snow-white; disks at first golden-yellow, finally sienna-brown; florets about 20, achenes densely short-hairy.

In sunny or slightly shaded rocky places, Maine to New York and the mountains of Virginia. Sept.

7. Aster Curvescens Burgess. Dome-Topped Aster

Fig. 4288

Aster curvescens Burgess; Britt. & Brown, III. Fl. 3: 359. 1898.

Dark green, chiefly glabrous; rootstocks often 10' long; stem smooth, striate, delicate, 1 1/2°-3 1/2° high. Basal leaves tufted, conspicuous, these and the lowest stem leaves with a broad sinus tapering into a petiole 1-2 times as long as the blade, abruptly in-curved-acuminate; middle leaves ovate, short-peti-oled, rounded at the base, the upper lanceolate, slenderly acuminate, often falcate; leaves firm, smooth-ish, the teeth broad, curved; inflorescence mostly convex, 3'-5' broad, its short filiform naked branches widely ascending; heads 4"-5" high; lower bracts short, obtuse, the others longer, nearly uniform, scarious, shining, linear, often acute, usually glabrous; rays about 8, cream-white, about 5" long; disk becoming purple-brown; pappus early reddening; achenes slender, glabrous.

In loose moist shaded soil, New England and New York to Virginia. Aug.-Sept.