csespitosus, Hort. A. adulterinus, Lindl. hot. reg. t. 1571. Symphotrichium
unctuosum, Neesi Ast. p. 135.
North America. (?) According to Pursh, it is found “ in overflowed
grounds from New York to Virginia; rare: Oct.-Nov.”—But, notwithstanding
the annexed v . v . we greatly doubt if Pursh ever met witli this
plant in North America : the phrase he gives is composed of the Linnsean
description combined with that of Aiton.—This species is remarkable for
its very corymbose habit, thickish or somewhat succulent very smooth leaves
(the upper cauline and those of the branches mostly entire), and the thick
and foliaceous exterior scales of the involucre, which resemble the leaves of
the branchlets. Heads middle-sized. Rays lilac. Achenia nearly glabrous.
Bristles of the pappus slightly united at the base, and separable from the
achenium in the form of a ring.
96. A . mutabilis (Linn.): leaves lanceolate, serrate; involucre squarrose;
panicle somewhat fastigiate. Linn. spec. (ed. 2) 2. p. 1230.
North America.—The specific phrase in the first edition of the Species
Plantarum is merely “ A. foliis lanceolatis, calycibus imbricatis basi squar-
rosis” ; and the only synonym adduced is, “ A. cseruleus Americanus non
frutieosus serotinus angustifolius, flore amplo floribundus,” Pluk. aim. p. 56,
l. 326, ƒ. 1. (which represents a narrow entire-leaved plant with small
heads): to this Linnaeus adds, that it differs from A. serotinus (but he has no
A. serotinus!) in the more closely imbricated involucre, the deep purple
rays; and that the disk-flowers, at first yellow, change to purple. In the
second edition, Linnaeus adds the synonym ‘ A. Novi-Belgii latifolius pani-
culatus, floribus saturate violaceis,” Herm. Lugd. 65. t. 67 ; and compares
it with A. Tradescanti, adding to the former remarks, that it may readily be
distinguished by the recurved-squarrose leaves of the peduncles and involucre,
the exterior scales of the latter not larger than the others.—The A. mutabilis
of the Hortus Kewensis is thus characterized : “ Leaves somewhat
clasping, lanceolate, serrate, smooth, tapering below; branchlets virgate;
calyx somewhat foliaceous, la x ; stem glabrous.” Ait. 1. c. Nees cites
Aiton’s plant both under his own A. mutabilis and under a variety of his A.
eminens ; while he adduces the synonym of Linnaeus, with a query, to his
A. squarrulosus, which, however, he suspects (Ast. p. 89) may be no more
than a variety of A. eminens. Our specimen of A. mutabilis from the
Berlin garden appears not to differ essentially from the A. squarrulosus of the
same garden, except that it is a stouter plant: we have met with no indigenous
specimens of either. The A. mutabilis of Lindley, &c., and probably
of Nees, we take to be a form of A. las vis. _
97. A . versicolor (Willd.): stem paniculate-compound; the branches
simply corymbose at the summit, dense ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate,
very smooth, of the same color both sides; the lower serrate in the
middle, the upper clasping, entire ; scales of the involucre imbricated, lanceolate.
Nees.—Willd. spec. 3. p . 2045, Sf enum. 2. p . 885; Nees, Ast. p.
127 ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 246.
North America, Willdenow.—“ Upper leaves entire, the lower with a few
serratures, glabrous; the radical oblong, tapering at each end, serrate in the
middle. Flowers very showy, considerably crowded at the summit of the
branches. Disk yellow. Rays large, at first white, afterwards deep violet,
so that the plant exhibits both violet and white flowers at the same time,
which has a very pleasing effect.” Willd.—Scales of the involucre, as in A.
mutabilis, triangular-lanceolate, narrow. Achenia puberulent. Nees.—We
have met with no indigenous Aster which accords with the A. versicolor of
the Berlin garden; and we know not what plant Pursh had in view, to
which he assigns the habitat: “ In old fields and on the borders of woods,
New Jersey to Carolina.” Elliott remarks that the plant which passes under
that name has small flowers, and is therefore not so ornamental as Willdenow
represents.
98. A . confertus (Nees): stem robust, smooth, somewhat corymbose-decompound
at the summit; the branches corymbose and much crowded;
leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, with a cordate-clasping base, appressed-
serrate m the middle, the margins scabrous; involucre imbricate. Nees, Ast.
p . 126 ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 245 ; not of Desf.
North America. (Cultivated in the Botanic garden at Bonn.)—The heads
are said to be middle-sized; and the rays white, not changing to violet, as in
A. versicolor, under which name it is cultivated in some gardens, according
to Nees. Achenia glabrous.
99. A . strictus, (Poir.): stem glabrous, strict, racemose-decompound; the
branches strict, coarctate; leaves lanceolate, attenuate, partly clasping,
somewhat serrate in the, middle, scabrous towards the margins; involucre
closely imbricated. Nees.—Poir. suppl. 1. p. 498; Nees, Ast. p. 124; DC.
prodr. p. 245. (excl. ft.)
North America.—“ Resembles A. praealtus; from which it differs by its
shorter branches; the leaves more (appressed-) scabrous towards the margins
; the larger heads ; the closely imbricated involucre, which is scarcely
subsquarrose even in the terminal head ; the narrow, elongated and somewhat
distant lilac-colored rays, which in that species are paler, a little shorter, and
approximate.” Nees. This author however does not place it in the section
which includes A. prasaltus, but with his Concinni, between A. Chilensis and
A. mutabilis. We have seen no specimens. The A. strictus ft., Lindl. in
Hoolc. fl. Bor.-Am. appears not sufficiently different from the A. laxifolius
of the same work.
100. A. onustus (Nees): stem racemose-compound, decurved; the branches
lax, racemose at the summit; leaves tapering to each end, partly clasping,
appressed-serrate in the middle, the margins scabrous; heads somewhat
secund, on short pedicels; scales of the shortTinvolucre imbricated, lanceolate,
scarcely equalling the disk. Nees, Ast. p. 122; DC. prodr. 5. p. 245. A.
confertus, Desf. cat. hort. Par. ed. 3. p. 401, not of Nees, fide DC.
ft- squarrosus (Lindl.) : leaves of the branchlets linear, squarrose. (Cultivated
in the English gardens under the name of A. Tradescanti cseruleus.)
Lindl. in DC. 1. c.
North America ? but the origin very doubtful.—Nees compares it with his
A. amplexicaulis, A. mutabilis, and A. laevigatus (all of which are probably
included under our A. lsevis); but states the heads to be more like those of
A. luxurians. The stem is said to be 3 or 4 feet high, the summit decurved
by the weight of the flowers, glabrous, or with a few scattered small bristles,
or slightly hirsute in lines at the summit; the leaves smooth and lucid.
Heads crowded, nodding, with copious pale blue ra y s; the scales of the
turbinate involucre not densely imbricated, lanceolate, with a membranaceous
margin, ciliate. Achenia glabrous. Nees.
101. A. purpuratus (Nees): stem somewhat simply racemose-virgate;
the branches elongated and bearing single heads ; leaves narrowly lanceolate,
clasping, with scabrous margins, sharply serrate in the middle ; the
uppermost ovate-lanceolate; those of the branches numerous, lanceolate,
spreading, entire, equal and equally distant; scales of the turbinate involucre
imbricated, lanceolate, with colored tips. Nees, Ast. p. 118; DC. prodr. 5.
p. 244. A. miser, Lam. diet. 1. p. 3Q8 (excl. syn.), fide DC.
North America ? Cultivated for many years at the Garden of Plants,
Paris, under the name of A. miser.—Scales of the involucre imbricated in
several series, nqt rigid, lanceolate-triangular, whitish at the base, with purplish
tips, all similar; the inner nearly the length of the disk; the outer-
v o l . II.-20