Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

White Prairie Aster
Symphyotrichum falcatum
Aster family (Asteraceae)

This common late summer and fall wildflower has an unkempt appearance and an overall fuzzy look due to many short, stiff hairs which are a hallmark of this plant. Symphyotrichum falcatum was first collected by John Richardson in the 1820s and it has endured a number of name changes. Its present name, Symphyotrichum, comes from the Greek "symphyos" (growing together) and "thrix" (hair) -- but it is not known what these words refer to. "Falcatus" is Latin for "sickle" -- also of unknown reference.


©2012 Jerry Oldenettel

Description

Late-blooming , 12-24" tall, congested with short hairy leaves and numerous flowerheads. Individual flowerheads consist of 20-35 narrow, white rays around small, light-yellow center disk. are green, overlapping and bent backward. Coarse spreading hairs present on leaves and stems. Plant spreads by , often forming dense stands of evenly scattered stems.

Field Marks

Late-blooming white composites with yellow centers; green, overlapping, and bent back.

© Al Schneider

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

Bracts are modified leaves associated with a flower.

Involucre is the name given to the circle or spiral collection of bracts around a flower-cluster.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

rhizome -- root-like stems that may either grow horizontally at the soil surface or in other orientations underground.