Flora of North America species comparison

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Eucephalus breweri

Eucephalus engelmannii

Brewer's aster

Engelmann's aster, Engelmann's mountain-aster
Habit Perennials, 10–100 cm (caudices woody). Perennials 50–120(–150) cm (with caudices or stout rhizomes).
Stems

ascending to erect, glabrate or woolly, eglandular or glandular.

ascending to erect, glabrate or pilose, eglandular to ± densely glandular.
Leaves

mid and distal blades linear-lanceolate to ovate, 2–5 cm × 6–15 mm, faces glabrate and eglandular to moderately glandular and/or woolly.

mid and distal blades elliptic to lance-ovate, 5–10 cm × 15–35 mm, faces glabrous and eglandular to adaxially villous and/or ± glandular.
Peduncles

sparsely to densely woolly and glandular.

often stipitate-glandular.
Involucres

turbinate-cylindric, 6–10 mm.

turbinate, 7–10 mm.
Phyllaries

in 3–4 series (sometimes reddish along margins), lance-linear to lance-oblong, ± subequal, margins eciliate, apices acuminate, abaxial faces glabrate and eglandular to moderately woolly or glandular.

in 4–6 series (strongly unequal, often reddish apically), linear to lance-ovate, acute to acuminate, pubescent to glandular or glabrate abaxially, villous adaxially, especially distally (appearing ciliate toward tips).
Heads

1–15(–35) in racemiform to corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

5–15(–40) in racemiform to corymbiform arrays.
Cypselae

strigose;

pappus bristles in 1 series (6–10 mm), barbellate.

usually pilose;

pappus bristles in 2 series, barbellate.
Rays

0.

usually 8 or 13, white to pink.
2n

= 18.

= 18.

Eucephalus breweri

Eucephalus engelmannii
Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Open coniferous forest and subalpine meadows Open coniferous forests, montane and subalpine meadows
Elevation 1500–3000(–3500) m (4900–9800(–11500) ft) 500–3000 m (1600–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eucephalus breweri is found in the Sierra Nevada. Specimens at the northern edge of the range may intergrade with E. glabratus and E. tomentellus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Forms of Eucephalus engelmannii from the Cascade Mountains with leaves more densely pubescent on the abaxial faces may reflect intergradation with E. ledophyllus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 40. FNA vol. 20, p. 40.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Eucephalus Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Eucephalus
Sibling taxa
E. elegans, E. engelmannii, E. glabratus, E. glaucescens, E. gormanii, E. ledophyllus, E. paucicapitatus, E. tomentellus, E. vialis
E. breweri, E. elegans, E. glabratus, E. glaucescens, E. gormanii, E. ledophyllus, E. paucicapitatus, E. tomentellus, E. vialis
Synonyms Chrysopsis breweri, Aster breweri, Heterotheca breweri Aster elegans var. engelmannii, Aster engelmannii
Name authority (A. Gray) G. L. Nesom: Phytologia 77: 254. (1995) (D. C. Eaton) Greene: Pittonia 3: 54. (1896)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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