Biology:Symphyotrichum sericeum

Short description: Species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to central North America

Symphyotrichum sericeum
Conservation status
Secure (NatureServe)
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. Virgulus
Species:	S. sericeum
Binomial name
Symphyotrichum sericeum (Vent.) G.L.Nesom
Native distribution
Synonyms
Basionym Aster sericeus Vent. Alphabetical list Virgulus sericeus Aster sibiricus Aster argenteus Michx. Nutt. Turcz. ex Torr. & A.Gray Aster subspathulatus Aster sericeus var. montanus Rydb. (Vent.) Reveal & Keener Aster montanus A.Gray (Vent.) Greene Lasallea sericea

Symphyotrichum sericeum (formerly Aster sericeus) is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to central North America. Commonly known as western silver aster, western silvery aster, and silky aster, it is a perennial, herbaceous plant that may reach 70 centimeters (2 ¹⁄₄ feet) tall. Its flowers have purple ray florets and pink then purple disk florets, and its leaves are firm and silvery-green.

Description

Symphyotrichum sericeum is a perennial herb growing from rhizomes. Leaf texture is sericeous, giving the leaves a silvery-green appearance. The inflorescences are erect and parallel, and the involucral bracts of the flower heads are ovate to lanceolate in shape and sericeous. The flowers have purple ray florets and pink then purple disk florets. The fruit is a cypsela.

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  Symphyotrichum sericeum leaves close-up

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  Symphyotrichum sericeum inflorescence

Conservation

(As of July 2021), NatureServe listed Symphyotrichum sericeum as Secure (G5) worldwide, last reviewed in 2002, with state and province statuses as follows: Critically Imperiled (S1) in Ontario and Oklahoma; and, Imperiled (S2) in Manitoba, North Dakota, Michigan, Indiana , and Arkansas.

References

• Flora of North America Editorial Committee, ed. (2006), "Symphyotrichum sericeum", Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA), 20, New York and Oxford, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250067684, retrieved 15 July 2021 
• "Symphyotrichum sericeum - Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder". St. Louis. n.d.. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=291806. 
• "Symphyotrichum sericeum Western Silvery Aster". Arlington, Virginia. 2 July 2021. https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.138090/Symphyotrichum_sericeum. 
• POWO (2019). "Symphyotrichum sericeum (Vent.) G.L.Nesom" (in en). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/981898-1. 
• "Symphyotrichum sericeum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. 2014. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SYSE2. 

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