Flora of North America species comparison

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Symphyotrichum drummondii var. drummondii

Symphyotrichum sect. Symphyotrichum
Photo is of parent taxon

Drummond's aster
Habit Plants 40–120 cm. Perennials; rhizomatous.
Stems

sparsely (proximally) to densely hirsute distally.

usually simple, sometimes ± branched.
Leaves

firm, basal and proximal long-petiolate, petioles ± winged;

proximal cauline blade bases ± cordate or truncate, sometimes obliquely.

Peduncles

± secund, 0–4 cm, bracteate.

Involucres

campanulate, (3.5–)4.5–7 mm.

Ray florets/Ray corollas

usually bright blue, light purple, bluish violet, or lavender, sometimes white.

fewer than disc florets, in 1 series (corollas conspicuous).
Disc corollas

± ampliate, lobes usually erect, sometimes spreading or reflexed.
Heads

in ample, paniculiform arrays with divaricate or ascending, bracteate, often racemiform branches.

radiate.
Cypselae

glabrous.

Pappi

shorter than to equaling disc florets at flowering.
x

= 8.
2n

= 16, 32.

Symphyotrichum drummondii var. drummondii

Symphyotrichum sect. Symphyotrichum
Phenology Flowering Aug–Oct.
Habitat Mostly shaded, loamy or rocky, mesic to dry soils, open deciduous woods, clearings, thickets, stream banks and edges of swamps, sometimes roadsides or ditches
Elevation 10–500+ m (0–1600+ ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MN; MO; MS; NE; OH; OK; PA; TN; TX; WI; WV
[BONAP county map]
North America; Mexico [Widely introduced worldwide through ornamental horticulture]
Discussion

Variety drummondii is often confused with Symphyotrichum urophyllum, a usually white-rayed species with erect array branches. Hybridization has been reported with S. urophyllum, as well as with S. shortii or S. undulatum (the name Aster ×finkii Rydberg possibly applies to such hybrids).

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

Species 39+ (36 in the flora).

Subsections have been recognized within sect. Symphyotrichum. They are not treated formally here. Subsectional phylogeny is mostly unresolved. Lists of species (from the flora area) within each subsection are provided here as a rough guide to relationships.

Subsection Heterophylli (Nees) Semple: Symphyotrichum cordifolium, S. ciliolatum, S. drummondii, S. anomalum, S. shortii, S. undulatum, S. urophyllum, S. oolentangiense, S. laeve, S. retroflexum.

Subsection Porteriana (Rydberg) G. L. Nesom: Symphyotrichum depauperatum, S. parviceps, S. pilosum, S. porteri, S. priceae.

Subsection Dumosi (Torrey & A. Gray) G. L. Nesom: Symphyotrichum dumosum, S. simmondsii, S. racemosum, S. eulae, S. tradescantii, S. lateriflorum, S. ontarionis, S. lanceolatum, S. praealtum, S. boreale, S. nahanniense, S. welshii.

Subsection Symphyotrichum: Symphyotrichum elliottii, S. puniceum, S. firmum, S. rhiannon, S. prenanthoides, S. novi-belgii, S. anticostense, S. robynsianum.

Undeteremined [often treated as monotypic sect. Turbinelli (Rydberg) Semple]: Symphyotrichum turbinellum.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 504. FNA vol. 20, p. 500.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Symphyotrichum > subg. Symphyotrichum > sect. Symphyotrichum > Symphyotrichum drummondii Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Symphyotrichum > subg. Symphyotrichum
Sibling taxa
S. drummondii var. texanum
Subordinate taxa
Name authority unknown unknown
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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