[ ” 53 ]
E R I G E R O N acre.
Blue Flea-bane.
3 <j
SYNGENESIA Polygamia-fuperjlua.
G en. Char. Recept. naked. Down Ample. Florets
of the radius linear, very narrow, numerous. Cal.
imbricated.
Spec. Char. Stem racemofe. Stalks moftly fingle-
flowered. Leaves lanceolate or tongue-fhaped,
feffile.
Svn. Erigeron acre. Linn. Sp. PI. 1211. Sm. FI.
B r it.S y j. Hudf. 363. With. 718. Hull. 185.
Relb. 325. Sibth. 252. Abbot. i8x. Curt,
Lond.fafc. 1. t. 60.
After arvenfis caeruleus acris. Rail Syn. 175.
T h i s , like the Gnaphalium in our laft plate, prefers a barren
gravelly foil, but is generally found in more grafiy or Ihady
fpots, and often upon chalk or limeftone. I t is biennial,
flowering naturally in July and A u g u f t ; but from accidental
caufes its bloffoms may occafionally be met with in early fpring,
or late in mild winters.
Root woody and branched. Stem a foot or two high, upright
and ftraight, leafy, furrowed, purplifh and hairy, producing
many flowers in a racemofe form in its upper part, on
long bratteated ftalks, Leaves fcattered, feffile, roughith, o f
an oblong-lanceolate, fpatulate, or tongue-like figure, moftly
en t ire ; the lowermoft obovate and often coarfely ferrated.
Calyx hairy. Flowers appearing delicately ftreaked with blue,
from the numerous upright linear florets o f the radius, which
encompafs the yellow dilk. Seed-down copious, long, rough,
o f a tawny hue, by which, when once known, the plant is
eafily recognifed. Seeds rough,