Almutaster

Á. Löve & D. Löve

Taxon 31: 356. 1982.

Common names: Aster
Etymology: For Almut G. Jones, b. 1923, American Aster specialist
Basionym: Pauciflori Rydberg Fl. Rocky Mts., 879, 883. 1917
Synonyms: Aster sect. Pauciflori (Rydberg) A. G. Jones
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 461. Mentioned on page 18, 458, 466.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA20 P50 Canadanthus modestus.jpegCanadanthus modestus
Ampelaster carolinianus
Almutaster pauciflorus
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Marjorie C. Leggitt
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Perennials, 30–120 cm (rhizomes long, slender, roots fleshy). Stems (1–4), ascending to erect, simple, usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely pilose proximally, densely stipitate-glandular distally. Leaves basal and cauline; alternate; basal ± petiolate, cauline sessile; blades 1-nerved, linear to oblong-spatulate (basal), or linear-lanceolate to linear, margins entire, revolute, faces glabrous or (distal) densely stipitate-glandular. Heads radiate, usually in paniculiform (sometimes appearing corymbiform) arrays, sometimes borne singly. Involucres campanulate, 4.5–8 × 8–14 mm. Phyllaries 22–44 in 3–4 series, 1-nerved (nerve translucent, flat), usually lance-oblong to lanceolate, sometimes ovate, subequal, membranous, margins scarious, (apices darker green, acute, mucronulate) abaxial faces densely short-stipitate-glandular. Receptacles flat to slightly convex, pitted, epaleate. Ray-florets 15–30 (–45) in 1 series, pistillate, fertile; corollas white to pale-purple (coiling at maturity). Disc-florets 40–50, bisexual, fertile; corollas yellow, slightly ampliate, tubes shorther than tubular throats, lobes 5, erect, triangular; style-branch appendages lanceolate. Cypselae fusiform-obconic, terete, 7–10-nerved (nerves thin), faces glabrous to sparsely strigose; pappi of 30–40, stramineous, subequal, barbellate, apically attenuate bristles in 1 series. x = 9.

Distribution

North America, Mexico

Discussion

Species 1.

The monotypic Almutaster was segregated by Á. Löve and D. Löve without comment. Its distinction was accepted by G. L. Nesom (1994b, 2000), who listed its distinctive characteristics and pointed out its close affinities to Psilactis, as well as putative similarities with Symphyotrichum sect. Oxytripolium (Symphyotrichum subg. Astropolium in current treatment). Nesom (1994b) also rejected the hypothesis of an allopolyploid origin for the taxon, based on cytologic and hybridization data. A phylogenetic analysis of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) sequence data indicates that Almutaster is sister to Psilactis, both forming the sister group to Symphyotrichum. Subgenus Astropolium is well nested within genus Symphyotrichum and its similarities to Almutaster must be intepreted as either retention of symplesiomorphies or convergence due to occupancy of similar saline habitats.

Selected References

None.

... more about "Almutaster"
short-stipitate-glandular +
not tailed +, rounded +  and obtuse +
distinct +
subequal +
scarious +
usually triangular +  and linear +
usually deltate +  and lanceolate +
paniculiform +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
Luc Brouillet +
Á. Löve & D. Löve +
decurrent +
Pauciflori +
linear;oblong-spatulate or linear-lanceolate +
rugulose +  and muricate +
subequal +
not 2-lipped +  and actinomorphic +
yellow +, white +  and pale-purple +
ampliate +
beaked +, 2-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
terete +  and fusiform-obconic +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
North America +  and Mexico +
For Almut G. Jones, b. 1923, American Aster specialist +
glabrous +  and sparsely strigose +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
indeterminate +
heterogamous +  and homogamous +
each +  and sessile +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
campanulate +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
sessile +  and petiolate +
cauline +  and basal +
triangular +
2-carpellate +
ovate +, usually lance-oblong +  and lanceolate +
bearing subulate enations +, hairy +  and bristly +
flat;slightly convex +
exalbuminous +
1 (?) +  and 4 (?) +
ascending +  and erect +
stipitate-glandular +, pilose +  and glabrous +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +  and smooth +
Aster sect. Pauciflori +
Almutaster +
Asteraceae tribe Astereae +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
tree +, shrub +  and subshrub +