Hairy golden aster

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Hairy golden aster

Hairy golden aster leaves

Hairy golden aster

Hairy golden aster

Hairy golden aster leaves

Hairy golden aster leaves

Hairy golden aster achenes

Morphology

Stem

Erect, often clustered, simple or much-branched above, soft-hairy.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, lower leaves stalked, upper leaves sessile, sometimes clasping upward, linear to linear-lanceolate, usually more than 5 times longer than wide, grayish green; upper leaves and inflorescences silky with soft, appressed, silvery-white hairs.

Inflorescence

Heads, clustered, terminal; subtended by narrow, stalked leaves longer than involucral bracts; heads top-shaped to cylindric; bracts overlapping in 3-5 series, margins rough.

Flower

Ray florets fewer than 20, 1/4 to 1/3 inch long, yellow; disk florets about 1/4 inch long, corollas yellow.

Fruit

Achenes, slightly flattened, tipped with outer series of small, bristle-like scales and inner series of numerous hair-like bristles, enclosing small seed.

Ecology

Habitat

Open, sandy or gravelly upland sites and rocky outcrops.

Distribution

Principally central 1/3 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Uses

The Cheyenne boiled the tops and stems and used the resulting extract as a sedative to aid sleep.

Additional Notes

Synonyms

Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.