Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Astereae
Genus: Symphyotrichum
Species: S. lanceolatum
Binomial name
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
(Willd.) G.L.Nesom
Synonyms

Aster lanceolatus

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (syn. Aster lanceolatus) is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is native to Canada and the United States. Common names include panicled aster, tall white aster,[1] eastern line aster, lance-leaf aster, narrow-leaf Michaelmas daisy, and white-panicle aster.[2]

Description

This perennial herb has a thick, erect stem that often grows 1.5 meters tall or more, sometimes approaching 2 meters. It has a stout rhizome and can spread to form a colony. The leaf blades have winged petioles and may sheath the stem at the bases. The largest, near the base of the plant, are up to about 15 centimeters long. Those higher on the stem are smaller. The lower leaves may have toothed edges. The inflorescence is usually a large, branching array of many flower heads of varying size. There are 16 to 50 ray florets per head, each measuring 3 to 14 millimeters long, in shades of blue, pink, or white. The disc florets bloom yellow and turn purple.[3]

This species is currently divided into five varieties or two subspecies, depending on the authority.[3]

Uses

The Zuni people used this plant for wounds and nosebleed. The Iroquois used it to treat fever.[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Symphyotrichum lanceolatum.
  1. Dickinson, T., et al. (2004) The ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum. p. 190.
  2. Symphyotrichum lanceolatum. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
  3. 1 2 Symphyotrichum lanceolatum. Flora of North America.
  4. Symphyotrichum lanceolatum. Native American Ethnobotany. University of Michigan, Dearborn.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/21/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.