calico aster

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, also known as calico aster or side-flowering aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it can be found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, prairies, and woodland edges.

Calico aster is a perennial herbaceous plant with a typical height of 2-4 feet (60-120 cm).

The stem is slender, smooth, branch, and reddish-brown. The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous, which allows the plant to spread and form clumps over time.

The leaves are alternate, simple, and lance-shaped to egg-shaped. They are green and can be rough to the touch. They gradually decrease in size up the stem.

The inflorescence consists of numerous small flowers arranged in clusters along the stem. The flowers are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and have a yellow center with white to pinkish-purple petals. The petals are usually notched at the tips, and the outer ones are slightly larger than the inner ones. The flowers bloom from late summer to early fall, typically from August to October.

After the flowers have bloomed, they give way to small, dry, brownish-black achenes (seeds) that are dispersed by the wind.

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

This and other asters were formerly place in the genus Aster. That genus was problematic, in that it did not include just one common ancestor with all of its lineal descendants and no others – it was not monophyletic. In 1994, the genus Symphyotrichum was resurrected to include most North American asters formerly in the genus Aster.