aster

[In Ital. astero; Dut., Ger., Fr., Sp., & Lat. aster; Gr. ἀστήρ ( aster ) = a star; from Sanse, as to shoot, in which case it means the "shooters of rays," "the darters of light," or more probably from Sansc. star =to strew, applied to the stars as strewing about or sprinkling forth their sparkling light. ( Max Müller .).] [STAR.] A genus of plants, the type of the order Asteraceæ, or Composites. It is so called because the expanded flowers resemble stars. There is but one British species, the A. tripolium , Sea Starwort, or Michael mas Daisy. It is common in salt marshes. The American species are numerous. The popular name Aster is applied to some species not of this genus. Thus the China Aster is Callistephus chinensis, and the Cape Aster Agathœa amelloides.