41. A. Nòvi-Bélgii, L. Rarely tall; leaves oblong to linear-lanceolate, entire or sparsely serrate, the upper partly clasping and often somewhat auriculate; heads 4--5´´ long; rays bright blue-violet. (A. longifolius, previous ed.)--N. Brunswick to Ill. and Ga. The commonest late-flowered Aster of the Atlantic border, and very variable. The typical form has thin narrowly to oblong-lanceolate leaves, sometimes scabrous above, and linear scales with narrow acute spreading or recurved tips.--Var. LÆVIGÀTUS, Gray, is usually glabrous throughout, the thin leaves mostly oblong-lanceolate, the upper half-clasping by an abrupt base; scales nearly equal, loosely erect, with short acutish tips. N. Eng. and eastward.--Var. LITÒREUS, Gray, rigid, usually low, very leafy; leaves thickish, usually very smooth, oblong to lanceolate, the upper sometimes auriculate; scales in several loose rows, all but the innermost with broadish obtuse tips, the outer usually spatulate. Salt-marshes and shores, Can. to Ga.--Var. ELÒDES, Gray, slender, often low and simple; leaves thickish, long, narrowly linear, entire, the uppermost small and bract-like; scales narrow, with short and mostly spreading acutish tips. Swamps, N. J. to Va. [++][++] _Cauline leaves conspicuously contracted into a winged-petiole-like base or auriculate-clasping; involucre lax._ 42. A. pátulus, Lam. Glabrous or subpubescent, 1--4° high; leaves ovate- or oblong-lanceolate, sharply serrate in the middle, narrowed at both ends, the lower to a winged petiole, none auriculate or only obscurely so; heads loosely panicled, about 4´´ high; scales unequal, erect or nearly so; rays light purple or white.--N. Brunswick and eastern N. England. 43. A. tardiflòrus, L. Glabrous or stem somewhat pubescent (not hispid), 1--2° high; leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, mostly with gradually narrowed and somewhat auricled base; heads often few, corymbose, 4--5´´ high; scales subequal, the outer foliaceous; rays pale violet.--Lab. to the Mass. coast and White Mts. Not late-flowering. 44. A. prenanthoìdes, Muhl. Stem 1--3° high, corymbose-panicled, hairy above in lines; leaves rough above, smooth underneath, ovate-lanceolate, sharply cut-toothed in the middle, conspicuously taper-pointed, and rather abruptly narrowed to a long contracted entire portion, which is abruptly dilated into a conspicuously auricled base; heads mostly 4´´ high, on short divergent peduncles; scales narrowly linear, tips recurved spreading; rays light blue.--Borders of streams and rich woods, W. New Eng. to Penn., Iowa, and Wisc.