Aster ericoides
 
Many-Flowered Aster

Mid-Lower Leaf Top Close-Up

Glenburn Regional Park
06-Aug-2007

A. ericoides is a member of the Multiflori complex.  Associated with this complex are two characters whose states vary independently of each other.  These states have been used to subdivide the complex into species and/or varieties.  Different authors have done this in different manners.  The following tables are a summary of the treatments by Flora of the Great Plains, Flora of North America, Flora of Alberta,  and Budd's Flora.  Note that Flora of North America has split the Aster genus into a number of different genera; the Multiflori complex is part of the Symphyotrichum genus in this scheme.  This web site employs the nomenclature adopted by Budd's Flora.

   Stems Arising Singly,
Colonial with Creeping Rhizomes
Stems Arising in Clusters
Heads Small A. ericoides
S. ericoides var. ericoides
A. pansus
S. ericoides var. pansum
A. ericoides ssp. pansus
Heads Large A. commutatus
S. falcatum var. commutatum
A. falcatus
S. falcatum var. falcatum
A. falcatus ssp. falcatus

 

   Stems Arising Singly or Stems Arising in Clusters
Heads Small A. ericoides
Heads Large A. falcatus

 

bullet

Ericoides:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
bullet

NOT [plants 50 cm tall, or more; stem stout, usually crimson-purple, hispid; leaves oblong to lanceolate, auriculate-clasping, entire or distantly serrulate]

bullet

plant perennial; NOT [plant annual]

bullet

plant with rootstocks or root crowns; NOT [plant with fibrous roots]

bullet

plants coarse; NOT [plants very slender]

bullet

plants more or less pubescent; NOT [plants glabrous, except sometimes in the inflorescence]

bullet

plant NOT rough pubescent

bullet

leaves and stems more or less densely pubescent; NOT [leaves glabrous, stem pubescent in lines below the leaf bases]

bullet

leaves narrowly linear; NOT [leaves broadly linear to linear-lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate]

bullet

leaves seldom more than 6-7 mm wide; NOT [ leaves usually more than 10 mm wide]

bullet

basal and lower stem leaves sessile or subsessile; NOT [basal and lower stem leaves petioled or narrowed to a petiolar base]

bullet

stem leaves sessile or somewhat clasping; NOT [stem leaves auriculate clasping]

bullet

leaves NOT silvery silky; NOT [leaves silvery silky on both sides]

bullet

heads numerous; NOT [heads solitary or a few at the end of branches], NOT [heads 1-3 on a stem]

bullet

heads usually secund on arching branching

bullet

heads 10-15 mm across; NOT [heads 20-25 mm across]

bullet

involucre and peduncles NOT glandular

bullet

involucre 2.5-4.5 mm high; NOT [involucre 5-8 mm high]

bullet

bracts strongly imbricate

bullet

involucral bracts generally herbaceous, at least above; NOT [involucral bracts chartaceous]

bullet

outer bracts NOT foliaceous, not surpassing the inner; NOT [ outer bracts (at least some) foliaceous, equally or surpassing the  inner]

bullet

involucral bracts usually NOT keeled

bullet

bracts densely pubescent

bullet

bracts bristle-tipped

bullet

outer bracts 2.0-3.5 mm long; NOT [outer bracts 3-7 mm long)

bullet

rays conspicuous; NOT [rays inconspicuous or absent]

bullet

rays mostly more than 15; NOT [rays 8-15, mostly 13] (Flora of Alberta)

bullet

rays 10-20; NOT [rays 22-35] (Flora of Alberta)

bullet

rays mostly less than 6.5 mm long; NOT [rays 7 mm long or longer]

bullet

pappus single; NOT [pappus double, with the inner series of firm long bristles, the outer series of bristles about 1 mm long]

 
bullet

Aster: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. The answers do not match all species of Aster found in the Canadian prairies, but they do match this species.
bullet

taproot absent

bullet

juice watery; NOT milky

bullet

plants usually with leafy stems; NOT [ plants low, stemless, tufted]

bullet

plant is NOT as follows: [basal leaves mostly 1-6 cm long, linear to oblanceolate or spatulate, forming a dense rosette; plants with a well-developed taproot; and either densely caespitose, seldom more than 5 cm tall, the heads sessile among the leaves, or with stout, simple stems, 5-15 (25) cm tall, heads solitary, involucres 2-4 cm wide, bracts ciliate to pectinate or fimbriate, rays blue and achenes densely pubescent, obovate to triangular]

bullet

leaves appearing BEFORE the flowers

bullet

leaves NOT extending beyond the flowers

bullet

leaves alternate or basal; NOT opposite

bullet

basal leaves NOT cordate, NOT sagittate

bullet

involucral bracts either subequal and the outer leafy, or more commonly evidently imbricate, with chartaceous base and evident green tip, sometimes chartaceous throughout; NOT [involucral bracts subequal or more or less imbricate, often green in part, but neither definitely leafy nor with chartaceous base and herbaceous green tip]

bullet

bracts in several series; NOT [in 1 or 2 series]

bullet

receptacle naked

bullet

flower heads with florets both tubular and ray

bullet

ligulate flowers pistillate or neuter; NOT perfect

bullet

ray florets conspicuous

bullet

ray florets 10-50; NOT 50 or more

bullet

ray florets usually blue, purple, pink, or white; NOT yellow, NOT orange

bullet

stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

bullet

style branches ordinarily more than 0.5 mm long; NOT [style branches 0.5 mm long or less, or obsolete]

bullet

style branches lanceolate or narrower, acute or acuminate; NOT [style branches lanceolate or broader, acute to obtuse, or obsolete]

bullet

pappus of capillary bristles, at least in part; NOT [pappus of 1 or 2 short awns, a mere crown or none]