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

aster de Tradescant, shore aster, Tradescant's American-aster, Tradescant's aster

Habit Perennials, 20–120(–150) cm, cespitose; with short, woody, branched caudices, or short-rhizomatous. Perennials, 5–70 cm, cespitose; short-rhizomatous.
Stems

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

1–5+, ascending to erect (straight, slender, 1–2.5(–3) mm diam.), 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.

thin, margins scabrous to scabrellous or eciliate, apices mucronulate, faces glabrous;

basal persistent or withering by flowering, petiolate (petioles slightly winged, sheathing), blades spatulate to elliptic or oblanceolate, 10–40 × 5–11 mm, bases cuneate to attenuate, margins crenate-serrate, apices obtuse to acute;

proximal cauline persistent or withering by flowering, ± broadly winged-petiolate or sessile, blades oblong, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate to oblanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, 20–100 × 3–9 mm, bases attenuate to cuneate, slightly clasping, margins serrulate or entire;

distal sessile, blades oblanceolate to linear-lanceolate or linear, 10–60 × 1–7 mm, gradually reduced distally, bases cuneate to tapering, margins serrulate or entire, apices acute to acuminate.

Peduncles

ascending, 0.2–2.5+ cm, glabrous, bracts 1–4, subulate to linear.

Involucres

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

cylindro-campanulate, 3.3–4.5(–5) mm.

Ray florets

8–15(–23);

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

14–27;

corollas white, laminae 4.3–8.2 × 0.7–0.8 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.

20–30;

corollas pale yellow becoming purplish, 3–4.1 mm, tubes shorter to nearly equaling funnelform throats, lobes lanceolate, 0.5–1 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 4–5 series oblong-lancoelate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner) or linear (innermost), unequal, bases indurate 1/2+, margins scarious, erose, hyaline, ciliolate, green zones lanceolate, apices acute to acuminate or caudate, mucronulate or apiculate, sometimes purplish, faces glabous.

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.

{(10–)25–100} in paniculiform arrays, branches ascending (1–10 heads per branch).

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 (nerves stramineous), obovoid, ± compressed, 3.5–4 mm, 4–5-nerved, faces strigillose;

pappi white, 3–3.6 mm.

2n

= 16, 32, 48.

= 16, 32.

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Symphyotrichum tradescantii

Phenology Flowering Aug–Oct. Flowering Jul–Aug(–Sept).
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 Damp, rocky and gravelly shores, silt- or loam-filled cracks in rocky rapids of streams or along freshwater estuaries
Elevation 0–400 m (0–1300 ft) 0–200+ m (0–700+ 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
MA; ME; NH; NJ; NY; RI; VT; NB; NF; NS; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

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. 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. 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. turbinellum, S. undulatum, S. urophyllum, S. walteri, S. welshii, S. yukonense, S. ×amethystinum
Synonyms Solidago lateriflora, Aster lateriflorus Aster tradescantii
Name authority (Linnaeus) Á. Löve & D. Löve: Taxon 31: 359. (1982) (Linnaeus) G. L. Nesom: Phytologia 77: 293. (1995)
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