Sept.-Oct.—Stem erect or ascending, 6-20 inches high; the whole plant
very smooth, with a somewhat glaucous hue. Leaves succulent, 3—6 inches
long; those of the branches reduced to ovate-subulate acuminate bracts,
passing into the chartaceous regularly imbricated scales of the involucre.
Heads few, about half an inch in diameter. Rays about 20, pale purple,
oblong-linear, moderately exserted. Achenia oblong-linear.
* * Scales of the involucre in 2-3 senes: rays more or less distinctly in a double series,
very short; the ligules scarcely exceeding the pappus, or sometimes wanting: annual.
(Conyzopsis.)
121. A . angustus: stem strict; the brapches erect, racemose; leaves
linear, acute, ciliate-serrulate; scales of the hemispherical involucre linear,
acute, in about 2 series, somewhat equal; ligules extremely short, or wanting
; achenia densely and minutely hirsute-pubescent.—Tripolium angus-
tum, h in d l.! in Hoolc.Jl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 15, if in DC. prodr. 5. p. 254.
Saskatchewan, and towards the Rocky Mountains, Drummond! Slave
Lake, Bichardson!—Plant a foot or more in height, with numerous strict
branches, glabrous or nearly so, except the serrulate-ciliate or ciliate-scabrous
margins of the slender leaves. Heads as large as in the following, racemose
(either few or numerous) on the branches. Exterior scales of the involucre
nearly or entirely destitute of membranaceous margins. Ray-flowers in two
series; the corolla shorter than the capillary pappus, with an extremely short
ligule (shorter than the style), or frequently reduced to a slender truncate tube
(as in Conyza, &c.), which is often much shorter than the style. Corolla of
the disk also slender.
122. A . linifolius (Linn.): very smooth and glabrous; stem erect, raee-
mosely branched or compound; the branches erect-spreading, bearing numerous
racemose or paniculate heads ; leaves linear or narrowly lanceolate, attenuate
acute or acuminate, entire ; the lowermost tapering into a petiole ;
those of the branches subulate ; scales of the cylindraeeous involucre linear-
subulate, unequal, in about 3 series; ray-flowers somewhat in two series; the
ligules scarcely exceeding the pappus ; achenia narrow, minutely pubescent.
—Lin n .! hort. Cliff, p. 408, if spec! 2. p. 874 (excl. syn. Gronov.); not of
Ait., Willd., ifc. A. subulatus, Michx.! Jl. 2. p. I l l (partly); Nutt.! gen.
2. p. 154 ; Ell. ! sic. 2. p . 345 ; Bigel.! Jl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 309. A.'longifolius,
Desf. cat.? Pair, suppl. 1. p . 480? Tripolium subulatum, Nees, A st.p .
156 (in part); DC. prodr. 5. p . 254, partly.
Salt marshes, Massachusetts! to South Carolina! Sept.-Oct.—Stem 1-3
feet high, stout, erect, usually much branched, with numerous paniculate
or corymbose-paniculate heads, which are 4 to 5 lines in length. Leaves
rather fleshy ; the lower 4 to 6 inches long, 3 to 4 lines broad, narrowed below,
partly clasping, obscurely veined. Scales of the involucre very acute,
the inner fully as long as the disk. Ray-flowers about 30, with very short
purplish-white ligules, often shorter than the capillary pappus; the disk-
flowers fewer. Pappus in a single series. Receptacle almost naked. Involucre
reflexed after the fruit is mature.—The A. subulatus of Michaux,
as well as the Tripolium subulatum of subsequent authors, doubtless includes
both this and the following species; butMichaux’s character is at least partly
derived from the present species, which moreover is alone found so far north
as Pennsylvania. But if we may rely upon our memoranda respecting the
specimens in the herbarium of the Hortus Cliffortianus, and upon their authenticity,
the plant here described is the original A. linifolius (the A. foliis
linearibus acutis, caule corymbose ramosissimo, Linn. hort. Cliff, p. 408);
a name to which we may revert without increasing the confusion, since the
A. linifolius of subsequent authors is a Galatella, and probably only a variety
of G. hyssopifolid. If this view should prove incorrect, the name of A. subulatus,
Michx. ought perhaps to be retained for this species rather than the
following, to which, however, it is more appropriate. There is no specimen
under the name of A. linifolius in the Linnasan herbarium ; and the plant
which, in the Species Plantarum, is cited from Gronovius (the Tripolium
flore unico caulem terminante, cujus radii purpurei et longi, &c., Clayt.) is
A. flexuosus, Nutt.
* * * Scales of the involucre in 2-3 series: rays exserted, in a single series.
123. A. divaricatus (Nutt, under Tripolium, not of Linn.): annual, very
glabrous; stem erect or ascending, diffusely much branched, the branches
and branchlets slender; leaves linear-subulate, very acute, with smooth or
minutely denticulate-scabrous margins; the lowermost narrowly linear, tapering
to the base ; those of the branches subulate, very small; heads (small)
scattered, loosely paniculate ; scales of the turbinate-cylindraceous involucre
linear-subulate, very acute, membranaceous, unequal, imbricated in about 3
series; rays numerous in a single series, longer than the disk ; achenia sca-
brous-puberulent.—Tripolium (Astropolium) divaricatum, Nu tt.! in trans.
Amer. phil. soc. (n. ser.) 7. p. 296. T. subulatum, Nees, Ast. p. 156 (partly)
; DC.! prodr. 5. p. 524, partly. Aster subulatus, Michx. ! Jl. 2. p . 112,
in part.
Salt marshes, South Carolina and Florida ! (Key W est!) to Louisiana !
and swamps in saline prairies of Western Louisiana ! Arkansas ! and Texas
! Also in the West Indies ! and probably throughout tropical America,
&c. Sept.-Oct.—Stem 6 inches to 3 feet high, often diffusely branched
from the base, sometimes slightly scabrous on the angles; the slender branch-
lets spreading or divaricate. Radical or primordial leaves oval or lanceolate,
denticulate, petioled, thickish ; the cauline 2-4 inches long, 1-nerved, slender,
mostly 1-2 lines wide, tapering to a very sharp point; the upper successively
shorter and tapering from the base; those of the branchlets reduced to
subulate bracts. Heads one-third to one-half smaller than in the preceding
species. Scales of the involucre very narrow, greenish, with broad scarious
margins, tapering into very sharp points; the innermost as long as the disk.
Rays blue, always longer than the disk, and sometimes exserted nearly
the length of the involucre. Disk-flowers equalling or exceeding in number
those of the ray. Appendages of the style lanceolate-subulate. Achenia
narrowly oblong, obscurely about 4-striate. Receptacle somewhat alveolate.
—The A. subulatus of Lessing (Sandwich Islands) has smaller heads, less
pointed scales of the involucre, and less exserted rays; it is probably a distinct
species.
124. A. Oreganus (Nutt, under Tripolium): stem rather tall, flexuous,
divaricately branched; cauline leaves rather long, linear-sublanceolate,
nearly equal, acute, entire, scabrous on the margin ; scales of the involucre
linear-lanceolate, imbricate, slightly acute, herbaceous; rays narrow.
Nutt.—Tripolium Oreganum, ‘Nutt. in trans. Amer. phil. soc. (n. ser.)
7. p. 296. -
On the inundated banks of the Wahlamet.—Flowers [heads] very inconspicuous,
somewhat fastigiate.' Nuttall.—This species has not come
under our examination. We are inclined (both from the description and the
habitat) to suppose it the same, perhaps, as the Tripolium subulatum /3.
Nees (Aster subulatus, Less.), from the Sandwich Islands.
125. A . exilis (Ell.) : stem strict, slender, glabrous, with a few scattered
simple branches, hearing solitary or mostly racemose heads; leaves narrowly
linear, elongated, subulate-acute, entire, with the margins minute serrulate-
scabrous ; those of the branches much shorter; scales of the involucre
lanceolate-linear, acute, unequal, imbricated in about 3 series; rays (about