Aster alpinus subsp. vierhapperi

Onno

Biblioth. Bot. 26(106): 25. 1932.

Illustrated
Synonyms: Aster alpinus var. vierhapperi (Onno) Cronquist Aster culminis (Linnaeus) Semple Diplactis alpinus subsp. vierhapperi (Onno) Semple
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 21. Mentioned on page 20.

Plants 2.5–32 (–40) cm, cespitose; rhizomes woody, caudices thick, woody, branched, ± covered with marcescent leaf-bases. Stems 1 (per rosette), erect to ascending, simple, ± densely white-villous, becoming nearly woolly near heads, sometimes short-stipitate-glandular proximally, ± densely short or long-stipitate-glandular distally. Leaves basal and cauline, margins entire, densely villous-ciliate, faces ± densely villous, ± densely short-stipitate-glandular or (distal mainly) eglandular; basal persistent, usually petiolate to subpetiolate, sometimes sessile, blades 3-nerved, oblanceolate or obovate to spatulate, 10–112 × 2.5–14 mm, bases cuneate or attenuate, apices ± acute to rounded; cauline usually sessile, lanceolate or lance-oblong to linear-lanceolate or linear, 7–43 (–50) × 1–6 (–8) mm. Heads borne singly. Involucres broadly hemispheric, 6–11 mm. Phyllaries in 2–3 series (usually green, sometimes ± purplish), lanceolate to lance-oblong, subequal, herbaceous, apices acute (outer) to acuminate or ± cuspidate (inner), faces ± densely villous, sometimes ± sparsely short-stipitate-glandular. Ray-florets (20–) 25–55 (–95); laminae pink, white, or lavender [purple], (9–) 11–17+ × (1–) 1.6–2.4 mm. Disc-florets 50–100+; corollas yellow turning brown, 5–6 mm, tubes much shorter than funnelform throats. Cypselae tan to brown or dark reddish-brown, obovoid, compressed, (2–) 2.5–3.2 mm, 2 marginal ribs plus 0–2 thin nerves on each face, faces ± densely strigillose, sometimes gland-dotted; pappi tawny to white, 5–6 mm, about equaling disc corollas. 2n = 18.


Phenology: Flowering early summer.
Habitat: Open to semishaded, mesic to dry, rocky, gravelly or silty, often calcareous areas, alpine tundra, montane to alpine meadows, cold prairies, Artemisia steppes, gravelly or eroding stream banks and flats, edges of open riparian boreal forests, bluffs, talus and cliffs, sandy ridges in muskeg
Elevation: 10–3700 m

Distribution

V20-4-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Ont., Yukon, Alaska, Colo., Idaho, Wyo., e Asia (Russian Far East), e Asia (e Siberia)

Discussion

Aster alpinus is the only species of the genus in the strict sense that is native to North America. The report of the species for Quebec on the NatureServe website is erroneous. The species is thought to be rare in Ontario, Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming. The reports for Idaho and Wyoming are new. Confusion in identification often occurs with Erigeron caespitosus Nuttall, E. glacialis Nuttall, and E. hyperboreus, among others. J. C. Semple et al. (2002) used the name A. culminis for the North American entity; my study of Russian and North American material showed that it is not possible to distinguish between Siberian and North American materials, which indeed share a pubescence type different from that of the typical subspecies. It is not possible to divide the species easily into distinct species or varieties. The only difference found in material from the two areas is that rays in the former tend to be purple, while in the latter they are mostly pinkish white to pink, sometimes purple, a difference deemed insufficient at the present time to warrant species recognition. A thorough biosystematic and molecular study of the complex may resolve this taxonomic problem.

Aster americanus Onno, referable here, is an invalid name.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

not tailed +, rounded +  and obtuse +
distinct +
acute;acuminate or more or less cuspidate +
subequal +
scarious +
usually triangular +  and linear +
usually deltate +  and lanceolate +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
Luc Brouillet +
sessile +, usually petiolate +  and subpetiolate +
attenuate +  and cuneate +
scarious +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (11.2 cm112 mm <br />0.112 m <br />) +
obovate;spatulate +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
rugulose +  and muricate +
barbellulate +  and barbellate +
4.3 cm43 mm <br />0.043 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (4.3 cm43 mm <br />0.043 m <br />) +
lance-oblong +  and linear-lanceolate or linear +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +
not 2-lipped +  and actinomorphic +
yellow turning brown +
ampliate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
beaked +, 2-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
tan +  and brown or dark reddish-brown +
compressed +  and obovoid +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Ont. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Wyo. +, e Asia (Russian Far East) +  and e Asia (e Siberia) +
10–3700 m +
gland-dotted +
strigillose +, short-stipitate-glandular +  and villous +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Open to semishaded, mesic to dry, rocky, gOpen to semishaded, mesic to dry, rocky, gravelly or silty, often calcareous areas, alpine tundra, montane to alpine meadows, cold prairies, Artemisia steppes, gravelly or eroding stream banks and flats, edges of open riparian boreal forests, bluffs, talus and cliffs, sandy ridges in muskeg, talus and cliffs, sandy ridges in muskeg +
indeterminate +
heterogamous +  and homogamous +
each +  and sessile +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
hemispheric +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
lavender +, white +  and pink +
11mm;17mm +
1.6mm;2.4mm +
petiolate +  and sessile +
cauline +  and basal +
reflexed;usually erect;spreading +
lanceolate +
short-stipitate-glandular +, glabrous +, strigillose +  and villous +
2-carpellate +
tawny +  and white +
persistent +
20 +  and 30 +
attenuate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Flowering early summer. +
lanceolate +  and lance-oblong +
Biblioth. Bot. +
bearing subulate enations +, hairy +  and bristly +
convex;flat +
exalbuminous +
Illustrated +
erect +  and ascending +
long-stipitate-glandular +, short-stipitate-glandular +, woolly +  and white-villous +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +  and smooth +
Aster alpinus var. vierhapperi +, Aster culminis +  and Diplactis alpinus subsp. vierhapperi +
Aster alpinus subsp. vierhapperi +
Aster alpinus +
subspecies +
campanulate +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (300 cm3,000 mm <br />3 m <br />) +
32 cm320 mm <br />0.32 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
plant +  and cespitose +