Symphyotrichum laeve

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Symphyotrichum laeve
Symphyotrichum laeve 93797924 (cropped).jpg

Secure (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Astereae
Subtribe: Symphyotrichinae
Genus: Symphyotrichum
Subgenus: Symphyotrichum subg. Symphyotrichum
Section: Symphyotrichum sect. Symphyotrichum
Species:
S. laeve
Binomial name
Symphyotrichum laeve
Varieties[2]
  • S. laeve var. laeve
  • S. laeve var. concinnum (Willd.) G.L.Nesom
  • S. laeve var. geyeri (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom
  • S. laeve var. purpuratum (Nees) G.L.Nesom
Symphyotrichum laeve native distribution map: Canada — Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon; Mexico — Coahuila; US — Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
North American distribution[2][3][4]
Synonyms[2]

Basionym

  • Aster laevis L.
Alphabetical list
    • Aster amplexicaulis Muhl. ex Willd.
    • Aster autranii Post
    • Aster bupleurifolius Nees
    • Aster cyaneus Hoffm.
    • Aster decorus Desf. ex DC.
    • Aster expansus Nees
    • Aster falcidens E.S.Burgess
    • Aster glaucescens Wender. ex Nees
    • Aster glaucus Nees
    • Aster laevigatus Hook.
    • Aster laevis var. abbreviatus
    • Aster laevis f. amplifolius (Porter) Fernald
    • Aster laevis var. amplifolius Porter
    • Aster laevis f. beckwithiae House
    • Aster laevis var. cyaneus (Hoffm.) Torr.
    • Aster laevis var. falcatus Farw.
    • Aster laevis f. falcatus (Farw.)
    • Aster laevis f. latifolius (Porter) Shinners
    • Aster laevis var. latifolius Porter
    • Aster laevis var. panduratus Farw.
    • Aster laevis f. purpurascens Farw.
    • Aster laevis var. simplex Cockerell
    • Aster laevis var. sourisensis Lunell
    • Aster laevis var. strictiflorus Osterh.
    • Aster laevis var. thyrsoideus Farw.
    • Aster laevis var. undulatifolius Lunell
    • Aster lucidus Loudon
    • Aster pensilvanicus Poir.
    • Aster pickettianus Suksd.
    • Aster politus Nees
    • Aster rubricaulis Lam.
    • Aster steeleorum Shinners
    • Diplactis cyanea Raf.

Symphyotrichum laeve (formerly Aster laevis) is a flowering plant native to Canada, the United States, and Coahuila (Mexico). It has the common names of smooth blue aster,[5] smooth aster,[4] smooth-leaved aster, glaucous Michaelmas-daisy[6] and glaucous aster.[4]

Description[]

Smooth aster is 20 to 70 centimeters (8 to 28 inches) tall.[7] Its leaves are arranged alternately on the stems, and their shape varies among lanceolate, oblong-ovate, oblong-obovate, and ovate.[8] They measure from 3 to 20 centimeters (1 to 8 inches) long and from 1 to 2.5 cm (3⁄8 to 1 in) wide. They are usually hairless, and the leaf edges are entire or bluntly or sharply toothed (crenate or serrate), sometimes with smaller teeth (serrulate).[7]

  • Symphyotrichum laeve 44271027.jpg
  • Symphyotrichum laeve 50344044.jpg

The flower heads are arranged in clusters (panicles). Each flower head has 13 to 23 ray florets with pale to dark blue or purple petals (laminae), and 19 to 33 disc florets that start out yellow and eventually turn purplish-red.[7] The whole flowerhead measures 13 to 25 millimeters (1⁄2 to 1 in) across.[8]

  • Symphyotrichum laeve 105736406.jpg
  • Symphyotrichum laeve 145337525.jpg
  • Symphyotrichum laeve 38098561.jpg

The seeds are cypselae with pappi (bristles at their tips).[7] Like the hairs on dandelion seeds, the pappi allow the seeds to be spread by the wind.[8]

  • Symphyotrichum laeve 34324805.jpg

Taxonomy[]

There are four varieties: Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve, S. laeve var. geyeri (Geyer's aster[3]), S. laeve var. concinnum, and S. laeve var. purpuratum.[7]

Hybrids with this species and others of the genus have been reported, including three named as follows:[9]

  • Symphyotrichum × gravesii

  • Symphyotrichum × versicolor

  • Symphyotrichum × woldenii

Distribution and habitat[]

Symphyotrichum laeve varieties are native to Canada, the United States,[2] and Coahuila (Mexico).[3] The species is introduced in Québec and New Brunswick.[4]

S. laeve grows in fields, open woods, and along roadsides[10] in rocky or dry soil and full sun.[11]

Ecology[]

Symphyotrichum laeve blooms in late summer and early fall. It is pollinated by many native bees[10] and attracts butterflies.[11] It is a larval host for the pearl crescent butterfly (Phyciodes tharos).[12][8]

Citations[]

  1. ^ NatureServe 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e POWO 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Brouillet et al. 2006, var. geyeri.
  4. ^ a b c d Brouillet et al. 2020.
  5. ^ USDA, NRCS 2014.
  6. ^ BSBI 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d e Brouillet et al. 2006.
  8. ^ a b c d Hilty 2016.
  9. ^ Brouillet et al. 2006, var. laeve.
  10. ^ a b TWC Staff 2017.
  11. ^ a b Missouri Botanical Garden n.d.
  12. ^ Evergreen 2014.

References[]

  • Brouillet, L.; Desmet, P.; Coursol, F.; Meades, S.J.; Favreau, M.; Anions, M.; Bélisle, P.; Gendreau, C.; Shorthouse, D. (4 September 2020). "Symphyotrichum laeve (Linnaeus) Á. Löve & D. Löve". (data.canadensys.net). Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN). Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  • Brouillet, L.; Semple, J.C.; Allen, G.A.; ; (2006). "Symphyotrichum laeve". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). 20. New York and Oxford. Retrieved 14 September 2021 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  • BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  • Evergreen (2014). "Plant Detail: Symphyotrichum laeve (smooth blue aster, smooth aster)". Native Plant Database (nativeplants.evergreen.ca). Toronto, Ontario: Evergreen. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  • Hilty, J. (2016). "Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)". Illinois Wildflowers. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  • Missouri Botanical Garden (n.d.). "Symphyotrichum laeve - Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder". (MissouriBotanicalGarden.org). St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  • NatureServe (2 July 2021). "Symphyotrichum laeve Smooth Blue Aster". NatureServe Explorer (explorer.natureserve.org). Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  • POWO (2019). "Symphyotrichum laeve (L.) Á.Löve & D.Löve". Plants of the World Online (www.plantsoftheworldonline.org). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  • TWC Staff (2017). "Symphyotrichum laeve". Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (www.wildflower.org). University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  • USDA, NRCS (2014). "Symphyotrichum laeve". USDA PLANTS Database (plants.sc.egov.usda.gov). Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 6 December 2015.

External links[]

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