Plants 40–120 cm. Stems sparsely (proximally) to densely hirsute distally. Leaves firm, basal and proximal long-petiolate, petioles ± winged; proximal cauline blade bases ± cordate or truncate, sometimes obliquely. Heads in ample, paniculiform arrays with divaricate or ascending, bracteate, often racemiform branches. Peduncles ± secund, 0–4 cm, bracteate. Involucres campanulate, (3.5–) 4.5–7 mm. Ray corollas usually bright blue, light purple, bluish violet, or lavender, sometimes white. Cypselae glabrous. 2n = 16, 32.


Phenology: Flowering Aug–Oct.
Habitat: Mostly shaded, loamy or rocky, mesic to dry soils, open deciduous woods, clearings, thickets, stream banks and edges of swamps, sometimes roadsides or ditches
Elevation: 10–500+ m

Distribution

V20-1126-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., Ohio, Okla., Pa., Tenn., Tex., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Variety drummondii is often confused with Symphyotrichum urophyllum, a usually white-rayed species with erect array branches. Hybridization has been reported with S. urophyllum, as well as with S. shortii or S. undulatum (the name Aster ×finkii Rydberg possibly applies to such hybrids).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thicker" is not a number.

scabrous +  and densely piloso-strigose +
scabrous +  and glabrate +
not tailed +, rounded +  and obtuse +
long-petiolate +
8.5 cm85 mm <br />0.085 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
distinct +
10mm;85mm +
acute;acuminate or long-acuminate +
subequal +
scarious +
8mm +  and 60mm +
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 +
long-petiolate +
8.5 cm85 mm <br />0.085 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (8.5 cm85 mm <br />0.085 m <br />) +
rounded +  and attenuate or cuneate +
indurate +
8mm;60mm +
Aster drummondii +
long-petiolate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (6.5 cm65 mm <br />0.065 m <br />) +
truncate +  and cordate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br />) +
ovate;ovate or oblong-lanceolate +
reduced +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
rugulose +  and muricate +
strigoso-ciliate +  and pilosulous +
subulate +  and linear-oblanceolate +
racemiform +  and bracteate +
reduced +
long to relatively +
barbellulate +  and barbellate +
sessile +  and petiolate +
not 2-lipped +  and actinomorphic +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
cream +  and yellow +
reddish purple;purple;deep +
at maturity , more or less ampliate , tubes usually shorter +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br />) +
beaked +, 2-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
brown +  and tan +
compressed +  and obovoid +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
sessile +, subpetiolate +  and petiolate +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Ky. +, La. +, Md. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, Nebr. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Pa. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
10–500+ m +
glabrate +  and sparsely strigillose +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Mostly shaded, loamy or rocky, mesic to dry soils, open deciduous woods, clearings, thickets, stream banks and edges of swamps, sometimes roadsides or ditches +
disciform +  and radiate +
indeterminate +
heterogamous +  and homogamous +
each +  and sessile +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
campanulate +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
2 (?) +  and 5 (?) +
1mm;1.8mm +
long-petiolate +
proximal +  and basal +
decurrent +
reflexed;spreading;erect +
triangular +  and lanceolate +
long-petiolate +
entire +, serrulate +, crenate-serrate +  and sharply serrate +
8.5 cm85 mm <br />0.085 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (8.5 cm85 mm <br />0.085 m <br />) +
strigoso-ciliate +  and scabrous +
usually rounded +  and obtuse +
crenate-serrate to serrate +
8mm +  and 60mm +
2-carpellate +
cream +  and rose-tinged +
persistent +
25 +  and 40 +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
bracteate +  and secund +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
Flowering Aug–Oct. +
lanceolate +  and narrowly oblong-lanceolate +
styliferous +, neuter +  and pistillate +
white +, lavender +, bluish violet +, light purple +  and bright blue +
bearing subulate enations +, hairy +  and bristly +
flat;slightly convex +
exalbuminous +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.1mm;0.2mm +
branched +  and simple +
1 +  and 5 +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +  and smooth +
Aster sagittifolius var. drummondii +
Symphyotrichum drummondii var. drummondii +
Symphyotrichum drummondii +
variety +
funnelform-campanulate +  and cylindric +
mucronulate +
at maturity , more or less ampliate , tubes usually shorter +
ampliate +
with stout , often woody caudices +  and short-rhizomatous +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
lanceolate +  and linear-lanceolate +