Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Aster ericoides
Heath aster, Wreath aster, heath aster, White aster, Manyflowered aster
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Aster ericoides prostratus, Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides, Symphyotrichum ericoides, Aster ericoides var. ericoides, Aster ericoides var. prostratus, Aster ericoides var prostratus

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Dicot-herb, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; awl-shaped, linear leaf shape

Inflorescence:

Flowers: perfect, unisexual, monoecious; complete, regular, irregular; white; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Roadsides; railroads; rocky open woods.

ILPIN Notes: The species hybridizes with Aster pilosus. Listed as non-weedy in PIN. Disk florets perfect and fertile, ray florets pistillate and fertile. Very rarely, ray florets might be blue or rose. Versus var. prostratus, this variety has stem pubescence mostly appressed or closely ascending. Rays rarely blue or pink, versus typical variety, this variety has reflexed or spreading stem pubescence. Disk florets perfect, ray florets pistillate, both fertile.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: insect
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 4
  • Chicago Area: 5

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