H. autumnale. L. Sneezewort. False Sun Flower. Stem
2 feet high, branched, finely winged by the sessile leaves which
run down the stem; bright-yellow flowers nearly in a level corymb
; bitter ; fields ; August.
D ahlia. L. 17. 2.
Named after a pupil of Linnaeus, A. D ah l; a genus from Mexico,
of 3 species ; grows in sandy meadows ; is the most popular,
perhaps, of all the autumnal flowers.
D. superflua. L. Cultivated in the greatest perfection by
cuttings of the roots ; leaves and stem rather coarse, but the
flowers are large, single and double, and of a great variety of color,
endure long also ; the roots require to be preserved from the frost
in a dry place, and early divided and planted ; grows in loamy
soils.
A ster. L. 17. 2. Star Flower.
Both the names derived from the radiating, or star-like appearance
of the compound corollas. A great many species, about
100, belong to the genus ; some are doubtless only varieties ; a
great proportion of them belong to North America and the Cape
of Good Hope, a few only to Europe ; 52 are credited by Beck
to the Northern and Middle States ; 20 are described by Bigelow
as in the vicinity of Boston ; and 31 are credited to this State in
the “ Geology of Massachusetts,” They grow in all situations,
along fences and hedges, in woods, on dry and wet soils, in valleys
and on mountains. They are a great addition to the beauty of
autumnal vegetation, as they grow in great profusion, have a fine
green foliage, and bear a multitude of flowers, even to the coming
of frosts that destroy all vegetation. They appear to delight in
the cooler summers, and not to be hastened to maturity in the
hotter summers. Useful properties, as food, medicine, or for
manufacture, have been discovered in very few of them.
A. cyaneus. Hoff. Blue Aster.. A beautiful species ; stem
2 feet high, erect and smooth ; upper part branching, and bearing
separate, blue or purplish flowers ; leaves long, sessile, clasping,
rather narrower towards the base. Edges of fields and woods ;
August.
A. puniceus. L. Purple Aster. Stem often reddish, not
straight, and rather angular, 2 — 3 feet high, with long leaves tapering
to both ends, and slightly clasping, bearing its large and beautiful
blue flowers on the ends and sides of the branches, hairy and
rough. Fields and woods in rather wet soils ; September. A
fine species.
A. prenanthoides. "W. Much like the last ; flowers about
equal, but whitish-blue ; leaves shaped like a spatula, or wider in
the middle, and tapering to both ends, but more towards the stem,
clasping ; less rough than the preceding, but in like situations ;
September.
A. acuminatus. Mx. Sharp-leaved Aster. Stem a foot or
more high, simple, erect, flexuous, angular, with broad leaves
tapering long towards the base, towards the upper side toothed,
and fully acuminate at the end ; flowers in a panicle, rather
spreading, middle-sized, white in the rays ; on mountains ; August
to October. Very different from the preceding.
A. linarifolius. W. Flax-leafed Aster. Stem about a foot
high, stiff, roughish, decumbent, covered with long, stiff, narrow
leaves, that give the plant a flax-like appearance at a little distance,
and bearing a few'single, purplish flowers, on short foot-stalks;
open woods, on hills arid high plains in light soils ; blossoms in
September and October. It is altogether a curious-looking plant;
flowers with white rays of a middle size.
A. diffusus. Ait. Branched Star Flower. A very branching
and spreading plant, 1 - 2 feet high, unsightly, bearing a multitude
of small white flowers ; September ; in woods and by roadsides,
on hills.
A. conyzoides.' W. Resembles some species of Conyza ;