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Aster (Including Calimeris There)

Including Calimeris. There are about 200 distinct species of this genus (nearly 350 have been described as such); they are most copious in the Northern hemisphere, particularly in America. To those described on pp. 136-9, Vol. I., the following should now be added:

A. Alberti (Albert Regel's). fl.-heads pale purple, terminal, solitary, 1in. in diameter; involucral scales in four series; ray florets linear, spreading. l. scattered, linear, slender, acute. Stems ascending, branching. Turkestan, 1884. SYN. Calimeris Alberti (R. G. 1152, f. 2, e-g). A. angustus (narrow). fl.-heads numerous, spicately panicled; ray florets reduced to a rudimentary condition. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North Asia and North America, 1886. Not worth growing.

A. coriaceus (leathery). A synonym of Celmisia coriacea. A. diplostephioides (Diplostephium-like). fl.-heads solitary, inclined, 2in. to 3in. in diameter; involucre broadly hemispherical, the bracts lanceolate; ray florets bright purple, numerous, biseriate; disk purple. May and June. l., radical ones 2in. to 4in. long, obovate, varying to oblanceolate, acute, entire, narrowed to long or short petioles; cauline ones 2in. to 3in. long, sessile, semi-amplexicaul. Stem stout, 6in. to 18in. high, leafy. Sikkim, 1882. A glandular-pubescent, tomentose, or villous perennial. (B. M. 6718.) A. gymnocephalus (naked-headed). fl.-heads rose-coloured, 1 1/2in. in diameter. Summer and autumn. l. narrow-lanceolate, bristly-toothed. h. 1ft. to 1 1/4ft. Southern Texas and Mexico, 1879. A pretty, half-hardy annual, of slender, bushy habit. (B. M. 6549.) A. novae-angliae pulchellus (pretty). fl.-heads pale magenta. 1882. A very handsome variety, growing about 4ft. high.

A. pseudamellus (false Amellus). fl.-heads few, corymbose, 1in. to 1 3/4in. in diameter; ray florets bluish-purple; involucral bracts larger than in A. Amellus, with reflexed, leafy tips. Autumn. l. 1in. to 2in. long, oblong, acute or obtuse, entire or toothed. h. 6in. to 18in. Western Himalayas (8000ft. to 13,000ft.), 1886.

A. Stracheyi (Strachey's). fl.-heads pale lilac-blue, 3/4in. to 1 1/4in. in diameter; involucral bracts reddish-brown; ray florets linear, the tips minutely notched; scapes rich dark brown, 2in. to 5in. high. May. l., radical ones 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, shortly petiolate, oblanceolate or obovate, pale beneath; those on the stolons much smaller and more sessile; those on the scapes few, linear or linear-obovate. Western Himalayas, 1885. (B. M. 6912.) A. tricephalus (three-headed). fl.-heads one to three, large and showy; ray florets purple. Autumn. l., radical ones obovate-spathulate, on long, winged petioles, entire, glabrous or hairy; cauline ones oblong, half-amplexicaul. Stems puberulous. h. 1 1/2ft. Sikkim (10,000ft. to 14,000ft.), 1886.