Symphyotrichum foliaceum

Symphyotrichum foliaceum (formerly Aster foliaceus) is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to western North America. Its common names are leafy aster, leafy-bracted aster, and alpine leafybract aster, and it is a perennial, herbaceous plant that may reach heights from 10 to 60 centimeters (4 to 24 inches). Its flowers have violet to purple ray florets and yellow disk florets.

Symphyotrichum foliaceum
British Columbia
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Astereae
Subtribe:	Symphyotrichinae
Genus:	Symphyotrichum
Subgenus:	Symphyotrichum subg. Symphyotrichum
Section:	Symphyotrichum sect. Occidentales
Species:	S. foliaceum
Binomial name
Symphyotrichum foliaceum (Lindl. ex DC.) G.L.Nesom[2]
Varieties[2]
List S. foliaceum var. foliaceum S. foliaceum var. apricum (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom S. foliaceum var. canbyi (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom S. foliaceum var. cusickii (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom S. foliaceum var. parryi (D.C.Eaton) G.L.Nesom
Native distribution[2]
Synonyms[2]
Basionym Aster foliaceus Lindl. ex DC. Varieties var. foliaceum Aster botryanthus K.Koch Aster canbyi Vasey ex A.Gray Aster douglasii D.C.Eaton Aster foliaceus var. diabolicus Onno Aster foliaceus var. typicus Onno Aster peregrinus Less. var. apricum Aster apricus Rydb. Aster foliaceus subsp. apricus (A.Gray) Piper Aster foliaceus var. apricus A.Gray Aster phyllodes Rydb. Aster subspicatus var. apricus (A.Gray) B.Boivin Aster tweedyi Rydb. var. canbyi Aster foliaceus var. burkei A.Gray Aster foliaceus var. canbyi A.Gray var. cusickii Aster cusickii A.Gray Aster cusickii var. lyallii A.Gray Aster foliaceus var. cusickii (A.Gray) Cronquist Aster foliaceus var. lyallii (A.Gray) Cronquist Aster kootenayi A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr. Symphyotrichum cusickii (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom var. parryi Aster ascendens var. parryi D.C.Eaton Aster diabolicus Piper Aster foliaceus var. frondeus A.Gray Aster foliaceus subsp. frondeus (A.Gray) Piper Aster foliaceus var. parryi A.Gray Aster frondeus Greene

Four varieties were accepted as of July 2021^[update] by Plants of the World Online (POWO), as follows: S. foliaceum var. apricum, S. foliaceum var. canbyi, S. foliaceum var. cusickii, and S. foliaceum var. parryi.^[2] The autonym is S. foliaceum var. foliaceum.

Description

Symphyotrichum foliaceum is a perennial, herbaceous plant that may reach heights from 10 to 60 centimeters (4 to 24 inches). Its flowers have violet to purple ray florets and yellow disk florets.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

The species is native to western North America. It can be found in mountainous regions with forests of conifers and in the meadows of the same.^[3]

Conservation

NatureServe has given the species a global conservation status of Secure (G5). This was last reviewed 25 July 2016. In Yukon, it is Critically Imperiled (S1), and in Nevada, it is Vulnerable (S3).^[1]

Gallery

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  S. foliaceum var. parryi
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