Symphyotrichum frondosum (Nutt.) G.L. Nesom
short-rayed aster (alkali aster)
Asteraceae (Aster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
short-rayed aster (alkali aster)
Asteraceae (Aster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Annual herb from a taproot; stems decumbent to erect, much branched, more or less glabrous, 10-60 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves soon deciduous; stem leaves linear to oblanceolate, stalked below to unstalked above, 2-6 cm long, 5-10 mm wide, entire, glabrous or fringed with stiff hairs on the margins.
Flowers:
Heads with ray and disk flowers, several to numerous in an open or spikelike, branched inflorescence; involucres 5-9 mm tall; involucral bracts subequal to moderately graduated, linear-lanceolate to linear spoon-shaped, the inner pale-margined, the outer leafy, the tips obtuse; ray flowers white, drying pinkish to pink-purple, 1.5-2 mm long, barely exceeding the disk flowers; disk flowers yellow.
Fruits:
Achenes appressed-hairy; pappus white, surpassing the disk flowers.
Notes:
Although this species was first collected in 1939 and reported by Eastham (1947) from the Okanagan Valley, it was not recollected again until 1993 along Osoyoos Lake.
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
Habitat and Range
Moist lakeshores in the steppe zone; rare in SC BC, known recently only from Osoyoos Lake; S to UT, AZ, NM and CA.Status Information
| Origin Status | Provincial Status | BC List (Red Blue List) | COSEWIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native | S2 | Red | E (Apr 2006) |
BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Aster frondosus (Nutt.) Torr. & A. Gray
Brachyactis frondosa (Nutt.) A. Gray
Tripolium frondosum Nutt.