Symphyotrichum cusickii

(A. Gray) G. L. Nesom

Phytologia 77: 278. 1995.

Common names: Cusick’s aster
Endemic
Basionym: Aster cusickii A. Gray Notes Compositae, 99. 1880
Synonyms: Aster foliaceus var. cusickii (A. Gray) Cronquist
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 532. Mentioned on page 476, 534.

Perennials, 40–100 cm, colonial or cespitose; long-rhizomatous. Stems 1–5+, ascending to erect, glabrous or puberulent. Leaves thin, margins entire, apices acute, faces glabrous or puberulent; basal often withering by flowering, petiolate, blades broadly elliptic to obovate, 5–200 × 10–35 mm, attenuate or cuneate, margins entire, apices acute; proximalmost cauline sometimes withering by flowering, sessile, blades oblanceolate to obovate, 70–120 × 15–50 mm, bases strongly clasping, enlarged and usually narrowed distally, usually prominently auriculate, margins entire, apices acute; distal sessile, blades lanceolate to broadly elliptic, 30–110 × 10–30 mm, bases truncate or auriculate, margins entire. Heads borne singly or in often congested, paniculiform arrays, branches 20–30 cm. Peduncles sparsely to densely cinereous, bracts lanceolate. Involucres campanulate, 10–20 mm. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, broadly to narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), ± equal or outer slightly exceeding inner, bases outer foliaceous, inner scarious, margins scarious, entire or erose, green zones elliptic to lanceolate, apices acute, faces glabrous or finely hairy. Ray-florets 25–55; corollas violet, laminae 10–18 × 1–2 mm. Disc-florets 60–150+; corollas yellow, 2.5–4 mm, lobes triangular, 0.4–0.5 mm. Cypselae brown, cylindric to obovoid, not compressed, 3–3.5 mm, 3–6-nerved, faces hairy; pappi white, 5–9 (–11) mm. 2n = 16, 32.


Phenology: Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat: Damp meadows in dry forests, often near springs and streams
Elevation: 1000–1500 m

Distribution

V20-1183-distribution-map.gif

Alta., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash.

Discussion

Symphyotrichum cusickii occurs principally in north-eastern Oregon, north-central Idaho, and adjacent western Montana.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

... more about "Symphyotrichum cusickii"
not tailed +, rounded +  and obtuse +
distinct +
5mm;200mm +
acute;acute;auriculate;narrowed;acute;cuneate;attenuate;broadly elliptic;obovate +
subequal +
scarious +
10mm +  and 35mm +
usually triangular +  and linear +
usually deltate +  and lanceolate +
spiciform +, racemiform +, paniculiform +  and corymbiform +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
Luc Brouillet +, John C. Semple +, Geraldine A. Allen +, Kenton L. Chambers +  and Scott D. Sundberg† +
(A. Gray) G. L. Nesom +
spatulate;oblanceolate elliptic or ovate +
foliaceous +  and sessile +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
auriculate +, truncate +, oblanceolate +  and obovate +
enlarged +
indurate +
15mm;50mm +
Aster cusickii +
sessile +  and petiolate +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br />) +
lanceolate;broadly elliptic +
enlarged +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
rugulose +  and muricate +
lanceolate +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
barbellulate +  and barbellate +
sessile +  and petiolate +
Cusick’s aster +
not 2-lipped +  and actinomorphic +
yellow +  and violet +
at maturity , more or less ampliate , tubes usually shorter +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
beaked +, 2-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
strigillose +  and glabrous +
not compressed +, cylindric +  and obovoid +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
Alta. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Oreg. +  and Wash. +
1000–1500 m +
hairy +, glabrous +  and puberulent +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Damp meadows in dry forests, often near springs and streams +
disciform +  and radiate +
in often congested , paniculiform arrays +  and singly +
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 +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br /> (2.1 cm21 mm <br />0.021 m <br />) +
10mm;18mm +
2 (?) +  and 5 (?) +
sessile +  and petiolate +
cauline +  and basal +
decurrent +
triangular +
erose +, entire +  and petiolate +
not +  and hyaline +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
ciliate +  and scabrous +
acute +, auriculate +, narrowed +, cuneate +, attenuate +, broadly elliptic +  and obovate +
10mm +  and 35mm +
2-carpellate +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
persistent +
25 +  and 40 +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
Flowering Jul–Aug. +
oblanceolate +  and linear +
strongly unequal +  and subequal +
styliferous +, neuter +  and pistillate +
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 +
ascending +  and erect +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
1 +  and 5 +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +  and smooth +
Aster foliaceus var. cusickii +
Symphyotrichum cusickii +
Symphyotrichum sect. Occidentales +
species +
funnelform-campanulate +  and cylindric +
at maturity , more or less ampliate , tubes usually shorter +
ampliate +
cespitose +  and colonial +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (100 cm1,000 mm <br />1 m <br />) +
tree +, shrub +  and subshrub +
elliptic +  and lanceolate +