Goldenrod and Asters.

Wood Aster

August 21. 

Rains still all day, and wind rises, and shakes off much fruit and beats down the corn. 

The prevailing solidagos now are, 

• lst, stricta (the upland and also meadow one which I seem to have called puberula); 
• 2d, the three-ribbed, of apparently several varieties, which I have called arguta or gigantea (apparently truly the last); 
• 3d, altissima, though commonly only a part of its panicles; 
• 4th, nemoralis, just beginning generally to bloom.
• Then there is the odora, 5th, out some time, but not common; and, 
• 6th, the bicolor, just begun in some places. 

Solidago

The commonest asters now are, 

• 1st, the Radula; 
• 2d, dumosus; 
• 3d, patens; 
• 4th, say puniceus; 
• 5th, cordtfolius; 
• 6th, macrophyllus; (these two a good while); 
• 7th, say Tradescanti; 
• 8th, miser; 
• 9th, longifolius ; (these three quite rare yet);
• 10th, probably acuminatus, some time (not seen); 
• 11th, undulatus; 
• 12th, loevis; (these two scarcely to be seen yet). 

N. B. Water so high I have not seen early meadow aster lately.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, August 21, 1856

See August 30, 1853 ("Why so many asters and goldenrods now? The sun has shone on the earth, and the goldenrod is his fruit. The stars, too, have shone on it, and the asters are their fruit.”); August 21, 1851 ("Spear-leaved goldenrod in path to northeast of Flint's Pond.”); August 18, 1854 ("The solidago nemoralis is now abundantly out on the Great Fields.”); August 14, 1856 ("Solidago odora abundantly out.”); August 6, 1853 ("Do not the flowers of August and September generally resemble suns and stars?”).