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aster latériflore, calico American-aster, calico aster, calico or one-side or white woodland or starved aster

Eula's aster, Texas aster

Habit Perennials, 20–120(–150) cm, cespitose; with short, woody, branched caudices, or short-rhizomatous. Perennials, 5–150 cm, colonial; long-rhizomatous (rhizomes thick).
Stems

1–5+, ascending to erect (± arching, slender, brittle), ± densely pilose or villous to glabrate or glabrous (particularly proximally).

1–3+, erect (straight, stout), glabrous.

Leaves

thin, membranous, margins serrate to serrulate, scabridulous, apices acute to acuminate, sometimes caudate, mucronulate, abaxial faces glabrous, midveins usually ± densely pilose to glabrate, rarely glabrous, adaxial scabrous (short-strigose) to glabrate;

basal usually withering by flowering, sometimes persisting (new vernal rosettes often developing at flowering), petiolate to subpetiolate (petioles narrowly to ± broadly winged, ciliate, bases ± sheathing), blades oblanceolate, lance-ovate or ovate to spatulate or suborbiculate, 5–35 × 7–25 mm, abruptly attenuate, margins crenate-serrate, apices obtuse to rounded or acute;

proximal cauline mostly withering by flowering, sessile or subpetiolate (petioles broadly winged), blades usually ovate or elliptic to elliptic-oblanceolate or lanceolate, rarely linear-lanceolate, (30–)50–100(–150) × (2–)10–20(–35) mm, greatly reduced distally, bases attenuate to cuneate;

distal sessile, blades ovate, lance-ovate, lance-elliptic, or oblanceolate to lance-linear or linear, 10–150 × 1–30 mm, progressively reduced distally, branch leaves abruptly smaller, bases cuneate, margins sometimes entire.

firm, margins serrulate to serrate, distally entire, ± revolute, scabrous, apices mucronate, abaxial faces glabrous or glabrate, adaxial scabrous, cauline often with axillary tufts of leaves;

basal withering by flowering, petiolate (petioles slightly winged, ciliate, sheathing), blades ovate or elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 15–120 × 15–35 mm, bases gradually to ± abruptly attenuate, margins crenate-serrate, apices obtuse to acute;

proximal cauline withering by flowering, petiolate to subpetiolate (clasping), blades elliptic to lanceolate, 85–100 × 18–30 mm, bases cuneate to slightly attenuate, apices acute to acuminate;

distal sessile, blades elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, or lance-oblong to linear-lanceolate (arrays), 8–90 × 1–25 mm, progressively reduced distally, abruptly so in arrays, bases cuneate, margins entire, apices acute to acuminate.

Peduncles

0.4–3 cm, secund, glabrous, bracts 5–10, not crowded, linear to linear-lanceolate, spreading, foliaceous, grading into phyllaries.

Involucres

cylindro-campanulate, (3.5–)4–6(–7) mm.

hemispheric, (4–)5–6.5 mm.

Ray florets

8–15(–23);

corollas white, rarely pinkish or purplish, laminae (3–)4–5(–8) × 0.9–1.2 mm.

(20–)27–36;

corollas usually white to bluish or lavender-white, rarely pale lavender or lavender-pink, laminae 8–11 × 1–1.5 mm.

Disc florets

8–16(–20);

corollas cream to light yellow turning pink or reddish purple, (2.5–)3–5 mm, tubes shorter than funnelform-campanulate throats, lobes strongly reflexed, lanceolate, 0.9–1.7 mm.

25–31;

corollas yellow turning reddish then brown, (4.1–)4.5–5.8 mm, tubes shorter than funnelform throats, lobes recurved to erect, lanceolate, 1.1–1.3 mm.

Phyllaries

in 3–4(–6) series, appressed or slightly spreading, oblong-lanceolate or -oblanceoalte (outer) to linear (inner), unequal, bases indurate 1/3–2/3, margins scarious, erose, hyaline or sometimes reddish, ± ciliolate, green zones lanceolate to ± diamond-shaped, apices (outer) acute, callus-pointed, (mid) acute to acuminate, or obtuse, sometimes purplish, abaxial faces glabrous (outer), mid sparsely puberulent.

in 5–6 series, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate (some inner linear), unequal, bases indurate 1/3–2/3, margins scarious, erose, hyaline, sparsely ciliolate, green zones lanceolate, prominent, apices acute (acuminate), slightly spreading, faces glabrous.

Heads

in ample, open, diffuse, ± pyramidal, paniculiform arrays, branches divaricate to long-arching or ± ascending, slender, wiry, secund; usually sessile, sometimes peduncles 0.1–1 cm+, ± pilose, bracts 1–7, linear or subulate to oblong-lanceolate, foliaceous, grading into phyllaries.

in leafy, open, paniculiform arrays, branches ascending to divaricate, nearly horizontal, elongate (to 38 cm), secund-racemiform.

Cypselae

gray or tan, oblong-obovoid, sometimes ± compressed, (1.3–)1.8–2.2 mm, 3–5-nerved, faces sparsely strigillose;

pappi white to pinkish, 3–4 mm.

tan to reddish brown, obovoid to fusiform-obovoid, ± compressed, 1.4–2.9 mm, 4–5-nerved, faces strigillose;

pappi white (sordid), 4.5–5.8 mm.

2n

= 16, 32, 48.

= 48.

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Symphyotrichum eulae

Phenology Flowering Aug–Oct. Flowering Oct.
Habitat Relatively shaded habitats, dry to humid soils, usually deciduous woodlands (beech–maple, oak–hickory, mixed hardwoods), sometimes conifer woods, sometimes swamp forests (conifer or dediduous), edges of woods, meadows, usually rocky or sandy stream and pond shores, roadsides Usually partly shaded, heavy-clayey, clayey-loamy, or silty soils, banks, open stream-bottom woods, ditches, drainage systems, disturbed areas, hedgerows
Elevation 0–400 m (0–1300 ft) 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; NB; NS; ON; PE; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum has been reported in British Columbia as an ephemeral that did not persist. G. L. Nesom (1994b) and J. C. Semple et al. (2002) recognized several varieties within the complex: var. lateriflorum (syn. Aster vimineus Lamarck); var. angustifolium (Wiegand) G. L. Nesom (syn. A. lateriflorus var. angustifolius Wiegand); var. flagellare (Shinners) G. L. Nesom (syn. A. lateriflorus var. flagellaris Shinners, A. lateriflorus var. indutus Shinners); var. hirsuticaule (Lindley ex de Candolle) G. L. Nesom [syn. A. hirsuticaulis Lindley ex de Candolle, A. lateriflorus var. hirsuticaulis (Lindley ex de Candolle) Porter]; var. horizontale (Desfontaines) G. L. Nesom [syn. A. horizontalis Desfontaines, A. lateriflorus var. horizontalis (Desfontaines) Farwell]; var. spatelliforme (E. S. Burgess) G. L. Nesom [syn. A. spatelliformis E. S. Burgess, A. lateriflorus var. spatelliformis (E. S. Burgess) A. G. Jones]; and var. tenuipes (Wiegand) G. L. Nesom (syn. A. lateriflorus var. tenuipes Wiegand, A. acadiensis Shinners). Much genetic and phenotypic variation is encountered within the complex; a thorough study is needed before a coherent taxonomy can be achieved.

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

Symphyotrichum eulae is known only from Texas. It has been reported as a hybrid of S. lanceolatum and S. praealtum. It is not a hybrid, according to Shinners, and we are not considering it as such here.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 517. FNA vol. 20, p. 516.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Symphyotrichum > subg. Symphyotrichum > sect. Symphyotrichum Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Symphyotrichum > subg. Symphyotrichum > sect. Symphyotrichum
Sibling taxa
S. adnatum, S. anomalum, S. anticostense, S. ascendens, S. boreale, S. bracteolatum, S. campestre, S. chapmanii, S. chilense, S. ciliatum, S. ciliolatum, S. concolor, S. cordifolium, S. cusickii, S. defoliatum, S. depauperatum, S. drummondii, S. dumosum, S. elliottii, S. ericoides, S. eulae, S. falcatum, S. fendleri, S. firmum, S. foliaceum, S. fontinale, S. frondosum, S. georgianum, S. grandiflorum, S. greatae, S. hallii, S. hendersonii, S. jessicae, S. laeve, S. lanceolatum, S. laurentianum, S. lentum, S. molle, S. nahanniense, S. novae-angliae, S. novi-belgii, S. oblongifolium, S. ontarionis, S. oolentangiense, S. parviceps, S. patens, S. phlogifolium, S. pilosum, S. plumosum, S. porteri, S. potosinum, S. praealtum, S. pratense, S. prenanthoides, S. priceae, S. puniceum, S. pygmaeum, S. racemosum, S. retroflexum, S. rhiannon, S. robynsianum, S. sericeum, S. shortii, S. simmondsii, S. spathulatum, S. subspicatum, S. subulatum, S. tenuifolium, S. tradescantii, S. turbinellum, S. undulatum, S. urophyllum, S. walteri, S. welshii, S. yukonense, S. ×amethystinum
S. adnatum, S. anomalum, S. anticostense, S. ascendens, S. boreale, S. bracteolatum, S. campestre, S. chapmanii, S. chilense, S. ciliatum, S. ciliolatum, S. concolor, S. cordifolium, S. cusickii, S. defoliatum, S. depauperatum, S. drummondii, S. dumosum, S. elliottii, S. ericoides, S. falcatum, S. fendleri, S. firmum, S. foliaceum, S. fontinale, S. frondosum, S. georgianum, S. grandiflorum, S. greatae, S. hallii, S. hendersonii, S. jessicae, S. laeve, S. lanceolatum, S. lateriflorum, S. laurentianum, S. lentum, S. molle, S. nahanniense, S. novae-angliae, S. novi-belgii, S. oblongifolium, S. ontarionis, S. oolentangiense, S. parviceps, S. patens, S. phlogifolium, S. pilosum, S. plumosum, S. porteri, S. potosinum, S. praealtum, S. pratense, S. prenanthoides, S. priceae, S. puniceum, S. pygmaeum, S. racemosum, S. retroflexum, S. rhiannon, S. robynsianum, S. sericeum, S. shortii, S. simmondsii, S. spathulatum, S. subspicatum, S. subulatum, S. tenuifolium, S. tradescantii, S. turbinellum, S. undulatum, S. urophyllum, S. walteri, S. welshii, S. yukonense, S. ×amethystinum
Synonyms Solidago lateriflora, Aster lateriflorus Aster eulae
Name authority (Linnaeus) Á. Löve & D. Löve: Taxon 31: 359. (1982) (Shinners) G. L. Nesom: Phytologia 77: 281. (1995)
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