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Erigeron (From Eriogron early old)

(from Eriogron (early old), the name given to a Composite by Theophrastus; species downyhoary when young). Including Phalacroloma and Polyactidium. ORD. Compositae. A genus comprising about a hundred species of hardy annuals, biennials, or perennials, resembling Aster, but having the ray-florets in several series. In Britain, it is represented by the perennial E. alpinus, a pretty rock plant found in the Breadalbane and Clova Mountains; the annual or biennial E. acris; and the annual E. canadense, a troublesome weed in some places. They are found everywhere in cold and mountainous regions, and are of very easy culture in common garden soil. Few species are worth growing. Those enumerated below form excellent subjects for mixed borders, in a somewhat moist, but well-drained situation. They may be readily increased by divisions or by seeds.

E. aurantiacus (golden).* fl.-heads about 2in. across, bright orange, solitary, on a stout, erect peduncle. l. oblong, entire; upper ones sessile, lanceolate. h. 1ft. Turkestan, 1879. Perennial. (Gn., Sept. 20, 1884.) E. caucasicus (Caucasian). fl.-heads scarcely 1in. across, rosy-purple, borne in loose masses on stems nearly 2ft. high. Summer. l., radical ones spathulate; cauline ones ligulate, stem-clasping. h. 1ft. Caucasus, 1821. Perennial.

E. glabellus (smooth-leaved). fl.-heads large, one to seven on the leafless summit of the stout stems; ray-florets very numerous, purple; disk yellow. June. l. nearly glabrous, except the margins, entire; the upper oblong-lanceolate and pointed, closely sessile or partly clasping; the lower spathulate, stalked. h. 6in. to 18in. North United States. Perennial. E. glaucus (glaucous).* fl.-heads purple, pretty. Summer and autumn. l. ciliated, glaucous, clammy; radical ones with winged stalks; cauline ones sessile, entire. h. 6in. to 12in. Western North America, 1812. Perennial. (B. R. 10.) E. grandiflorus (large-flowered).* fl.-heads purple or whitish, comparatively large, solitary. Late summer. l., radical ones obovate-spathulate; cauline ones oblong to lanceolate. h. 4in. to 8in. Rocky Mountains, 1819. Perennial. E. multiradiatus (many-rayed).* fl.-heads terminal, solitary, about 2in. across, surrounded by numerous overlapping linear leaves; ray-florets purplish; disk yellow. Summer. l. oblong, toothed, tapering into a long stalk. h. 6in. to 2ft. Himalaya, 1880. (B. M. 6530.) E. Roylei (Royle's).* fl.-heads 2in. across, disposed in a loose corymb; ray-florets bluish-purple; disk yellow. Summer. l. oblong-spathulate, smooth, ciliated. h. 4in. to 8in. Himalayas.

E. speciosus (showy).* fl.-heads large, handsome, corymbose; ray-florets violet, exceedingly narrow; those of the disk yellow; peduncles single-flowered; involucre hemispherical. Summer and autumn. l. sessile, oblong, acute, entire, ciliated at the margin, the rest glabrous, dark green, marked with nerves, which commence near the base and run upwards, nearly parallel with the midrib; radical ones spathulate, tapering into long slender stalks. Stem herbaceous, 1 1/2ft. high, rounded, striated, glabrous, erect, and branched upwards in a corymbose manner. Western North America. Perennial. (B. M. 3606, and B. R. 1577, under name of Stenactis speciosa.)