Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

ARROW-LEAF ASTER

File Size: 47 KB

Symphyotrichum urophyllum (Lindl. ex DC.) G.L. Nesom

Cherokee County, Kansas

Perennial

Height: 1-4+ feet

Family: Asteraceae- Sunflower Family

Flowering Period: August, September,October

Stems:

1 to few, unbranched or with ascending branches above mid-stem, mostly glabrous or upper stem pilose in longitudinal lines.

Leaves:

Alternate, basal, proximal cauline usually also present at flowering; petiole often narrowly winged; blades ovate to lanceolate-ovate, 1.5 to 4.5 inches long, .4 to 2.8 inches wide, base cordate, tip sharply pointed, margins shallow-toothed, upper surface glabrous or sparsely pubescent, lower surface sparsely to moderately pilose-villous; middle and upper carline leaves progressively reduced; petiole prominently winged; blade narrowly lanceolate to narrowly ovate; base less conspicuously cordate, rounded to tapered; uppermost leaves sessile, bract-like.

Inflorescences:

Panicle-like clusters, elongate, branches ascending; heads few to many, crowded; bracts of ultimate branches .2 to .5 inch, linear, leaflike.

Flowers:

Heads .6 to 1 inch in diameter; involucre .18 to .25 inch tall; phyllaries in several overlapping series, erect or ascending, linear to narrowly lanceolate, mid vein green, slender, tip long-tapering to sharp point, margins ciliate. Ray florets 8-15, white or rarely lavender, .2 to .4 inch long. Disc florets 8-20, corollas pale yellow, .14 to .2 inch.

Fruits:

Achene, brown to purplish brown, narrowly obovoid, .06 to .1 inch, glabrous, with 4 longitudinal ribs; pappus of white to pale cream-colored bristles .12 to .18 inch long.

Habitat:

Upland woods, stream and river banks, pastures, fencerows, roadsides, open rocky sites

Distribution:

Southeast corner of Kansas

Origin:

Native

Arrow-leaf aster Inflorescence