Starworts or Aster-like flowers of the Compositae family are found in
many parts of the world. In far-off China a flower-loving Catholic
missionary noted a showy flower of late summer and early autumn. That
was nearly two hundred years ago. The flower was what is botanically
known as Callistephus, a Greek term meaning beautiful crown. From a
scientific standpoint it was not an Aster at all, though closely related
to that family. This wild Daisy-like Callistephus bore many graceful
single flowers about the size of our largest wild Asters. The flowers
consisted of a single row of light bluish-purple ray petals surrounding
a golden disk-like center. In 1731 the Jesuit missionary sent seeds of
it to France. It was liked from the first, and its early French
cultivators politely named it _Reine Marguerite_--Queen Daisy.
In due time the plant reached England. Here it was re-named. In allusion
to its origin and to the star-like spread of its bluish petals, they
called it China Aster, =i.e.= China Star. Even in our mother's day it was
still called the China Aster. It became popular, especially as it soon
sported into different colors. Otherwise there was little change in it
until a little after 1840, when the first double flowers were produced.
From that time its development was something marvelous. French, English,
German and American hybridizers have vied with each other in bringing
out new forms. It must be considered now as one of the few flowers that
has all but reached perfection. There are three or four marked types of
flowers, and it would seem impossible in any of these types to add to
their beauty of form or to improve their colors, unless it would be to
add a really deep yellow to the list of shades. Nor is anything lacking
in size or doubleness of bloom.