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Skyblue Aster

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense (Riddell) G. L. Nesom

Comments

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A. G. Jones (1989) suggested that Symphyotrichum oolentangiense hybridizes with S. drummondii and S. laeve. Two color morphs, Aster azureus Lindley forma incarnatus Farwell and "forma albidus" (the latter not validly published and incorrectly attributed to Steyermark by M. L. Fernald 1950), have been described but are not recognized here.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 20: 471, 473, 475, 500, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Description

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Perennials 20–150 cm, cespitose; short-rhizomatous or with branched, woody caudices. Stems 1–5+, erect (straight), glabrate to hispidulous, distally pilosulous to strigillose in arrays. Leaves thick, firm, margins entire or crenate-serrate, scabrous, apices mucronate, faces scabrous, abaxial strigose to piloso-strigose or hirsute, adaxial strongly strigose; basal withering by flowering, long-petiolate (petioles slightly winged, bases dilated, sheathing, ciliate), blades ovate to lance-ovate, 40–150(–180) × 10–40(–60) mm, bases ± cordate or rounded to attenuate, margins crenate-serrate to subentire, apices rounded or obtuse to acute; proximal cauline petiolate (petioles narrowly winged, clasping), blades ovate or ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 30–130 × 12–70 mm, gradually or ± abruptly reduced distally, bases rounded to attenuate, margins entire, scabrous, apices acute or attenuate, callus-pointed; distal sessile or sometimes short-petiolate and ± winged (appressed or ascending), blades lanceolate or linear-lanceolate to subulate, 5–80 × 1–10 mm, strongly reduced distally (more sharply so on branches), bases attenuate to cuneate or ± rounded, margins entire. Heads in open, paniculiform arrays, branches ascending, stiff, sometimes long-arching and peduncles secund, ± ridged, densely leafy with small, ± appressed branch leaves, ± strigose. Peduncles ascending, 0.2–6 cm, glabrate, densely bracteate, bracts linear-subulate, scabrous- or ciliate-margined, often revolute, grading with phyllaries. Involucres campanulate to cylindro-campanulate, 4.5–8 mm. Phyllaries in (3–)4–6 series, appressed or outer slightly spreading, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, strongly unequal, bases indurate 1 / 2 – 3 / 4 , margins scarious, erose, hyaline, ciliolate, apical green zones diamond-shaped, apices acute to acuminate or caudate (then tips often involute), mucronulate to apiculate, faces glabrous. Ray florets (10–)13–20(–25); corollas usually pale to azure blue to violet-purple, rarely rosy, white or bluish white), laminae (5–)8–12(–14) × 1.4–1.7 mm. Disc florets (15–)20–25(–30); corollas light yellow turning deep purple, 4–5 mm, tubes much shorter than narrowly funnelform throats, lobes triangular to lanceolate, 0.4–0.7 mm (lobes sparsely hairy). Cypselae dull purple or stamineous with purple streaks, oblong-obovoid, ± compressed, 1.8–2 mm, 4–5-nerved, faces glabrate to sparsely strigose; pappi cream or slightly rose-tinged, 3–4 mm. 2n = 32.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 20: 471, 473, 475, 500, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
original
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eFloras

Synonym

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Aster oolentangiensis Riddell, W. J. Med. Phys. Sci. 8: 495. 1835; A. azureus Lindley; A. azureus var. poaceus (E. S. Burgess) Fernald; A. azureus var. scabrior Engelmann ex E. S. Burgess; A. capillaceus E. S. Burgess; A. poaceus E. S. Burgess; A. vernalis Engelmann ex E. S. Burgess
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 20: 471, 473, 475, 500, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
original
visit source
partner site
eFloras

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense

provided by wikipedia EN

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense (formerly Aster oolentangiensis and Aster azureus), commonly known as skyblue aster[4] and azure aster,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to eastern North America.

Description

The plants are 20 to 150 centimeters (34 to 5 feet) tall with one to several herbaceous stems. The alternate and simple leaves have a rough texture. The composite flowers, produced between August and October, have blue to violet rays.[3]

Leaf, Ontario, Canada
Large inflorescence showing many involucres

Taxonomy

American botanist John Leonard Riddell originally described this species in a publication dated to April 1835 as Aster oolentangiensis[5] after finding it in forests on the Olentangy River near Worthington, Ohio. Riddell originally misspelled the name of the river with two Os.[6] The synonym Aster azureus has also been used, but this was not published until November 1835,[note 1] so Riddell's epithet has priority.

Along with many other species, Symphyotrichum oolentangiense was formerly included in the genus Aster. However, this broad circumscription of Aster is polyphyletic, and the North American asters are now classified in Symphyotrichum and several other genera.[7]

Distribution and habitat

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense is found in prairies, open woodlands, savannahs and other open habitats. It occurs widely in the Midwestern United States and in eastern prairies, from Texas to Minnesota. It also extends into Mexico in Coahuila and to Ontario in Canada.[3] The species is endangered in New York.[8]

Ecology

The flowers attract a wide variety of insect species, including bees, bee flies, butterflies, beetles, and others. A wide variety of herbivorous insects also consume the vegetation. The seeds are dispersed by wind. The species is typical of higher quality natural areas, especially those with disturbances such as wildfire.[9]

Notes

  1. ^ The name Aster azureus was published in the Companion to the Botanical Magazine 1: 98.[10] The cover page only dates this to 1835; this part was published in November.[11]

Citations

References

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Symphyotrichum oolentangiense: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense (formerly Aster oolentangiensis and Aster azureus), commonly known as skyblue aster and azure aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to eastern North America.

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