Arrow-leaf aster

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Arrow-leaf aster inflorescence

Arrow-leaf aster leaf

Arrow-leaf aster

Arrow-leaf aster florets

Arrow-leaf aster

Arrow-leaf aster leaf

Arrow-leaf aster leaf

Arrow-leaf aster Inflorescence

Arrow-leaf aster

Morphology

Stem

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.

Inflorescence

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

Flower

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.

Fruit

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.

Ecology

Habitat

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

Distribution

Southeast corner of Kansas