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| Scientific Name | Symphyotrichum ascendens (Aster ascendens) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | SYAS3 |
| Common Name | Western Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 522184 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills to montane (5000 to 10500 ft.); roadsides, meadows, along streams. Plant: Erect perennial 4 to 48 inches tall, growing in colonies; single or multiple stems with dense, short hairs. Leaves: Basal and stem leaves linear to narrowly-lanceolate, 3/4 to 4 inches long with smooth edges. Inflorescence: Showy flower heads about 1 to 1-1/4 inches across with 25 to 65 narrow rays, pink to violet or blue; large number of yellow disk florets; recurved green phyllaries (bracts), rounded or with pointed tips. Bloom period: July to September. References: SEINet and "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. apricum (Aster foliaceus var. apricus) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | SYFO2 |
| Common Name | Alpine Leafybract Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 541088 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Subalpine to alpine (10000 to 13800 ft.); slopes, meadows, along streams. Plant: Erect perennial 2 to 8 inches tall, often purplish, hairy stems. Leaves: Basal leaves oblanceolate and petiolate, usually withered by flowering; stem leaves ovate, lanceolate or oblanceolate and clasping. Inflorescence: Showy flower heads 3/4 to 1-1/4 inches across with 15 to 60 rays, normally purple; large number of yellow disk florets; broad, almost leaf-like pointed phyllaries with purple edges and tips. Bloom period: July to September. References: SEINet and "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. canbyi (Aster foliaceus var. canbyi) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | SYFOC |
| Common Name | Canby's Aster, Leafy Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 541089 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills and montane (5700 to 9800); meadows, open slopes and woods. Plant: Highly variable variety. Erect perennial 8 to 40 inches tall, green stems with hairs in two vertical lines along the stems. Leaves: Basal leaves oblanceolate and petiolate, usually withered by flowering; stem leaves ovate, lanceolate or oblanceolate and clasping. Inflorescence: Showy flower heads about 1 to 1-1/2 inches across with 15 to 60 rays, normally lavender to pink, but can be white (as below); large number of yellow disk florets; broad, almost leaf-like green phyllaries with white streaks near their bases and rounded or somewhat pointed tips, outer longer than inner. Bloom period: July to September. References: www.swcoloradowildflowers.com and "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. parryi (Aster foliaceus var. parryi) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | SYFOP |
| Common Name | Parry's Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 541090 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills to subalpine. Moist areas along streams and wet meadows. Plant: Highly variable variety. Erect perennial 8 to 40 inches tall; hairs in two vertical lines along the stems. Leaves: Basal leaves oblanceolate and petiolate, usually withered by flowering; stem leaves ovate, lanceolate or oblanceolate and clasping, 3/4 to almost 5 inches long. Inflorescence: Single to many composite flower heads in a rounded inflorescence, each 1 to 1-1/2 inches across with 15 to 60 rays, normally lavender to pink, but can be white (as below); large number of yellow disk florets; phyllaries smooth on the back, fringed on the edges, with white edges at the bases, outer and inner about the same length, linear-shaped and sharp-pointed. Bloom period: July to September. References: Descr. adapted from www.swcoloradowildflowers.com, E-Flora BC and "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Symphyotrichum spathulatum (Aster spathulatus) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | SYSP |
| Common Name | Western Mountain Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 522249 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills to subalpine (6000 to 10500 ft.); moist areas along streams and in meadows and forest openings. Plant: Erect perennial 4 to 33 inches tall with one to several stems that are smooth or sparsely covered with downy hairs, especially below the inflorescence. Leaves: Lower stem leaves narrowly oblanceolate to lanceolate to elliptic, up to 6 inches long, smooth surfaces with hairs along edges; shorter upper stem leaves narrowly-elliptic, lanceolate or linear and sessile. Inflorescence: Single or several composite flower heads in rounded cluster (cymose panicle), each 1 to 1-1/2 inches across with 15 to 50 rays, normally purple, violet or bluish; 30 to 80 yellow disk florets; phyllaries in 3–5 series, narrowly oblong or linear and unequal in length, surfaces smooth or somewhat downy-hairy. Bloom period: July to October. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, Aster spathulatus in "The Alpine Flora of the Rocky Mountains" by Richard W. Scott, www.americansouthwest.net, SW Colorado Wildflowers, and Flora of North America Note: A variable species differing in growth form, leaf dimensions and flower color. The images below appear to be var. spathulatum which is shorter (8 to 24 inches tall) and has narrowly-elliptic to oblanceolate leaves and 3 to 10 heads. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Colorado Status: Native |
