Aster ciliolatus

      
Lindley's Aster

Flower Head Side

5 Miles East of McLean
28-Aug-2004

Note that the three bracts pointed to in this picture belong to three different series.  Note also the green line running down the center of each bract.  Finally, note that each bract has a yellowish base.

Note that the key to the genera in Flora of Alberta requires "basal leaves not cordate or sagittate".  However, the basal leaves of this species are cordate, as specified in the key to the species in the same flora: "lower leaves ovate, frequently cordate".  The key to the genera is trying to distinguish Aster from Petasites.

bullet

Ciliolatus:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.  
bullet

plants NOT as follows: [plants 50 cm tall, or more; stem stout, usually crimson-purple, hispid; leaves oblong to lanceolate, auriculate-clasping, entire or distantly serrulate]

bullet

plants perennial, with rootstocks or root crowns; NOT [annual, with fibrous roots]

bullet

stem pubescent above middle, often in lines; NOT [glabrous except in the inflorescence]

bullet

basal and lower stem leaves petioled or narrowed to a petiolar base; NOT sessile, NOT subsessile

bullet

lower leaves often cordate at base

bullet

lower leaf blades ovate or narrowly ovate; NOT lanceolate, NOT linear-lanceolate, NOT linear, NOT oblanceolate

bullet

lower leaves serrate to serrulate

bullet

heads few to many on a stem; NOT solitary, NOT 1-3

bullet

involucre and peduncles NOT glandular

bullet

outer bracts NOT foliaceous, NOT surpassing the inner

bullet

involucral bracts generally herbaceous, at least above; NOT chartaceous

bullet

bracts mostly glabrous except the ciliate margins; NOT densely pubescent

bullet

bracts linear, lanceolate or oblong; NOT oblanceolate

bullet

bracts all acute; outer NOT obtuse

bullet

bracts usually NOT keeled

bullet

rays conspicuous

bullet

rays mostly more than 15

bullet

pappus single; NOT double

 
bullet

Aster: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. The answers do not match all species of Aster found in the Canadian prairies, but they do match this species.
bullet

taproot absent

bullet

juice watery; NOT milky

bullet

plant is NOT as follows: [basal leaves mostly 1-6 cm long, linear to oblanceolate or spatulate, forming a dense rosette; plants with a well-developed taproot; and either densely caespitose, seldom more than 5 cm tall, the heads sessile among the leaves, or with stout, simple stems, 5-15 (25) cm tall, heads solitary, involucres 2-4 cm wide, bracts ciliate to pectinate or fimbriate, rays blue and achenes densely pubescent, obovate to triangular]

bullet

plants usually with leafy stems; plants NOT low, NOT stemless, NOT tufted

bullet

leaves appearing before the flowers

bullet

leaves NOT extending beyond flowers

bullet

basal leaves NOT cordate, NOT sagittate (FOA)

bullet

leaves alternate or basal; NOT opposite

bullet

involucral bracts either subequal and the outer leafy, or more commonly evidently imbricate, with chartaceous base and evident green tip, sometimes chartaceous throughout; involucral bracts NOT [subequal or more or less imbricate, often green in part, but neither definitely leafy nor with chartaceous base and herbaceous green tip]

bullet

bracts in several series; NOT in 1 or 2 series

bullet

receptacle naked

bullet

flower heads with florets both tubular and ray

bullet

ray (ligulate) flowers when present, either pistillate or neutral; NOT perfect

bullet

ray florets conspicuous

bullet

ray florets 10-50; NOT 50 or more

bullet

rays white to pink, purple or blue; NOT yellow, NOT orange

bullet

stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

bullet

style branches lanceolate or narrower, acute or acuminate, ordinarily more than 0.5 mm long; style branches NOT: [lanceolate or broader, acute to obtuse, 0.5 mm long or less, or obsolete]

bullet

pappus of capillary bristles, at least in part; pappus NOT [of 1 or 2 short awns, a mere crown or none] (FOA)

bullet

pappus composed of numerous hairs; NOT absent, NOT composed of only a few hairs (BF)