Symphyotrichum ascendens

(Lindley) G. L. Nesom

Phytologia 77: 276. 1995.

Common names: Long-leaved or intermountain or western aster
IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Aster ascendens Lindley in W. J. Hooker, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 8. 1834
Synonyms: Aster chilensis subsp. ascendens (Lindley) Cronquist
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 538. Mentioned on page 472.

Perennials 20–60 cm, colonial; long-rhizomatous. Stems 1–5+, ascending to erect, densely and uniformly strigose, especially distally. Leaves (grayish green) thin to firm, margins entire, apices acute, faces glabrous or strigose; basal usually persistent, petiolate, blades oblanceolate, 50–150 × 5–12 (–15) mm, bases attenuate or cuneate, margins entire, apices usually acute; proximal cauline sessile or subpetiolate, blades oblong to narrowly obovate, 50–120 × 5–12 mm, bases attenuate or cuneate; distal sessile, blades 30–70 × 4–10 mm, reduced distally, bases cuneate to ± rounded. Heads in paniculiform arrays, branches ascending. Peduncles moderately to densely strigose, bracts 1–4, linear to oblanceolate. Involucres campanulate, 4–7 mm. Phyllaries in 3–5 series, narrowly oblanceolate or linear (outer) to linear (inner), unequal, bases indurate, margins entire, green zones obovate to elliptic, apices obtuse, faces densely strigose. Ray-florets (10–) 15–40; corollas violet, laminae 8–13 × 1–1.5 mm. Disc-florets 25–65 (–80); corollas yellow, sometimes purple-tinged, 4–6 mm, lobes triangular, 0.4–0.8 mm. Cypselae brown, cylindric to obovoid, not compressed, 2–3.5 mm, 3–5-nerved, faces hairy; pappi whitish, 4–7 mm. 2n = 26, 36, 52.


Phenology: Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat: Meadows, grasslands, damp areas in sagebrush steppe and Ponderosa pine woodlands
Elevation: 500–3200 m

Distribution

V20-1201-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., Sask., Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., N.Dak., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Symphyotrichum ascendens is widely distributed in the Great Basin. It is an allopolyploid derived from the hybrid between S. spathulatum (x = 8) and S. falcatum (x = 5). Chromosome numbers differ markedly in their geographic distribution, 2n = 26 prevailing in the southwestern part of the range, and 2n = 52 in the northeastern part (G. A. Allen 1985) Backcrosses to both parental species or hybrids with related taxa are sometimes seen where the ranges overlap.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

... more about "Symphyotrichum ascendens"
52 +, 36 +  and 26 +
not tailed +, rounded +  and obtuse +
distinct +
obtuse;acute;acute +
subequal +
scarious +
usually triangular +  and linear +
usually deltate +  and lanceolate +
paniculiform +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
Luc Brouillet +, John C. Semple +, Geraldine A. Allen +, Kenton L. Chambers +  and Scott D. Sundberg† +
(Lindley) G. L. Nesom +
flowering +  and withering +
cuneate +  and more or less rounded +
indurate +
Aster ascendens +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
oblong;narrowly obovate +
reduced +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
rugulose +  and muricate +
linear +  and oblanceolate +
barbellulate +  and barbellate +
subpetiolate +  and sessile +
Long-leaved or intermountain or western aster +
not 2-lipped +  and actinomorphic +
purple-tinged +, yellow +  and violet +
at maturity , more or less ampliate , tubes usually shorter +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
beaked +, 2-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
not compressed +, cylindric +  and obovoid +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Sask. +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Nev. +, N.Mex. +, N.Dak. +, Oreg. +, Utah +, Wash. +  and Wyo. +
500–3200 m +
hairy +, strigose +  and glabrous +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Meadows, grasslands, damp areas in sagebrush steppe and Ponderosa pine woodlands +
disciform +  and radiate +
indeterminate +
heterogamous +  and homogamous +
each +  and sessile +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
campanulate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
1mm;1.5mm +
sessile +  and petiolate +
cauline +  and basal +
decurrent +
triangular +
not +  and hyaline +
ciliate +  and scabrous +
entire +, crenate +  and serrate +
2-carpellate +
persistent +
25 +  and 40 +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
Flowering Jul–Aug. +
linear to linear +  and oblanceolate +
subpetiolate +  and sessile +
styliferous +, neuter +  and pistillate +
bearing subulate enations +, hairy +  and bristly +
flat;slightly convex +
exalbuminous +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
branched +  and simple +
not brittle +
ascending +  and erect +
1 +  and 5 +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +  and smooth +
Aster chilensis subsp. ascendens +
Symphyotrichum ascendens +
Symphyotrichum subg. Ascendentes +
species +
at maturity , more or less ampliate , tubes usually shorter +
ampliate +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
tree +, shrub +  and subshrub +
21 +, 18 +  and 13 +
obovate +  and elliptic +