Symphyotrichum falcatum (Lindl.) G.L. Nesom var. falcatum
little gray aster
Asteraceae (Aster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
little gray aster
Asteraceae (Aster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Map
Distribution of Symphyotrichum falcatum var. falcatum
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a fibrous-rooted, creeping rhizome; stems erect to ascending, branched and short-hairy above, 30-60 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves usually deciduous; stem leaves linear, unstalked, entire, usually stiff-hairy.
Flowers:
Heads with ray and disk flowers, several to many, solitary at the end of the branchlets, in racemes on the stem or branches; involucres 5-8 mm tall; involucral bracts graduated, linear-oblong to linear or the outer spoon-shaped with a whitish base, obtuse to abruptly sharp-pointed, the tips often loose, stiff-hairy and usually hairy on the backs; ray flowers 20-35, white, rarely pale pinkish or purplish-tinged, 5-10 mm long; disk flowers yellow.
Fruits:
Achenes several-nerved, hairy; pappus white.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Symphyotrichum falcatum var. falcatum
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
959 | 955 | 963 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
0 | ||
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
6 | 5 | 7 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
E | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
2 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
IDF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
IDF(2) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Mesic to dry grasslands, rocky slopes, disturbed areas and open forests in the steppe and montane zones; frequent in SC and SE BC, rare in NE BC; N to AK, YT and NT, E to SK and S to NM, AZ and WA.Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Aster elegantulus A.E. Porsild
Aster ericoides var. commutatus (Torr. & A. Gray) B. Boivin p.p.
Aster falcatus Lindl.
Aster falcatus subsp. falcatus
Aster ramulosus Lindl.
Lasallea falcata (Lindl.) Semple & L. Brouillet
Virgulus falcatus (Lindl.) Reveal & Keener