Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Eurybia spectabilis
FAMILY
Asteraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Test-drive A Teaching Key to Asters.
Read more about Low Showy Aster at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Eurybia spectabilis
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21 (2006)
Eurybia spectabilis
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-47-012:
Aster spectabilis FAMILY Asteraceae
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Aster smallii
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Aster spectabilis
COMMON NAME:
Low Showy Aster, Eastern Showy Aster
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_assp11_001_lvd
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025464
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
Leaves firm (reticulately veined), faces usually scabrous (esp. abaxially), sometimes glabrous, per Flora of North America.
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025466
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
Ray florets 15-35; rays 10-25mm long, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025471
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
Phyllaries glandular-pubescent on the back and also glandular-ciliate; involucre 8-16mm high, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
COMPARE
involucral bracts of North American asters
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025473
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025475
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025476
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025477
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025477b
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
Bracts green, acute, squarrose, pubescent, glandular and ciliate, the outer foliaceous, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025481
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
)
Penny Longhurst pen_091523_1025485
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
[Stem] leaves elliptic, acute, base cuneate to attentuate, sessile, clasping, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Penny Longhurst pen_20230915_103032
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
1-5 erect stems at the ends of long rhizomes, forming colonies, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Penny Longhurst pen_20230915_103054
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
Heads usually in open, corymbiform arrays, seldom borne singly, branches ascending, stout, per Flora of North America.
)
Penny Longhurst pen_20230915_103110
September Henderson County NC
The Park at Flat Rock
Leaves somewhat basally disposed, the lowermost sometimes withering before flowering, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Eurybia spectabilis
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Eurybia spectabilis
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21
Eurybia spectabilis
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-47-012:
Aster spectabilis
FAMILY
Asteraceae
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Aster smallii
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Aster spectabilis
3557
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Pine barrens, dry road banks, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal & alternate
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Long rhizomatous, forming clonal colonies
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Rays: Blue/ Violet
Disc: Yellow
Flower heads with 15-35 ray flowers
Inferior ovary
Disc flowers bisexual & fertile/ Ray flowers pistillate & fertile
Flower heads in corymbs
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Achene
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".