John C. Semple WAT

Symphyotrichum subg. Virgulus (Raf.) Nesom

VIRGULOID ASTERS

The virguloid asters include mostly x=5 species plus one x= 30 and two x=4 species of North American asters. These have been treated as a genus (Lasallea, Virgulus) or as a subgenus within Aster or Symphyotrichum. Semple and Brouillet (1980) was the first to recognize the group. Species generally share cormoid rhizomes and similar basal rosette leaves and often patent branching as well as a distinctive karyotype, but they differ greatly in the upper leaf and head array traits. Most species occur in the eastern United States, with some native to western North America from Alaska and the northern Yukon to southern Mexico.

Illustrations

Sect. Concolores

Symphyotrichum concolor; inflorescence, heads
Symphyotrichum plumosum; head, Florida
Symphyotrichum lucayanum
Symphyotrichum pratense; flowering head, Texas; fruiting head, Florida
Symphyotrichum sericeum; habit, heads

Sect. Grandiflorae

Symphyotrichum campestre; habit
Symphyotrichum fendleri; habit, head, Kansas
Symphyotrichum fontinale; habit, stem and leaf, inflorescence, head, Florida
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum; head and upper stem leaves, North Carolina
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium; heads
- cv. Raydon's Choice; upper shoot, leaves cult. Ontario
Symphyotrichum pygmaeum; habit, head, phyllaries,Yukon Territory (herbarium specimens DAO)
Symphyotrichum yukonense; habit in field; dried shoots; heads, Yukon Territory
- Mexican (may not belong in genus)
Symphyotrichum hintonium
Symphyotrichum moranense
Symphyotrichum trilineatum

Sect. Patentes

Symphyotrichum patens; inflorescence
Symphyotrichum georgianum; habitat, inflorescence, heads, involucres
Symphyotrichum adnatum; inflorescence; leaves
Symphyotrichum walteri; leaves and heads; cormoid rhizome

Sect. Polyliguli

Symphotrichum novae-angliae; habit, heads, Ontario

Sect. Ericoides

Symphyotrichum ericoides; habit, cormoid rhizome, flowering branch, heads
Symphyotrichum falcatum; habit