Symphyotrichum is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Astereae which includes the commonly cultivated New York aster (S. novi-belgii) and New England aster (S. novae-angliae). Its species are widespread in the Americas, including as far north as subarctic North America to as far south as Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. One species has a native range extending into eastern Eurasia.
Most of the species in the genus are perennials. The flower heads have white, pink, purple, or blue ray florets surrounding white to yellow disk florets. The disk floret corollas become pink, purple, or brown after pollination. The three species in section Conyzopsis have reduced or absent ray florets.
Symphyotrichum is the type genus of subtribe Symphyotrichinae. There are 98 species in the genus, some with varieties, and thirteen named hybrids. The genus is split into five subgenera: Chapmaniana, Astropolium, Virgulus, Ascendentes, and Symphyotrichum. Most of the species had been classified within the genus Aster until it was confirmed to be polyphyletic. The American asters now are separated into monophyletic genera based on multiple phylogenetic studies.
Conventions
Conservation status codes follow the NatureServe conservation (NS) rounded global status scheme. Hybrids have a column for parents in place of conservation status. Not listed (NL) is not a NatureServe category but is used here to represent those left out of global status rankings up to G5 (including GNA and GNR) and those not in NatureServe. Type species for each clade are in a separate table.
+ LegendScientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s) [and varieties]NSHabitatDistribution Abbreviated scientific name, link to species article, and picture, if available Author citation Basionym Year of the original species description Common name(s) and varieties, if applicable NatureServe rounded global conservation status Habitat Distribution map
Classification Classification of Symphyotrichum
Subtribe Symphyotrichinae contains six genera. In addition to Symphyotrichum, these are Almutaster, Ampelaster, Canadanthus, Psilactis, and Sanrobertia, with Symphyotrichum being the largest at 98 species and thirteen named hybrids. The cladogram presented here for the subtribe is based on a combination of cytotaxonomic and morphologic data reported in multiple studies. Symphyotrichum is the type genus of the subtribe.
Classification within Symphyotrichum Most of the species had been classified within the genus Aster until it was confirmed to be polyphyletic – as previously defined, the genus Aster contained groups of species with different most recent ancestors. The American asters were then separated into several genera based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic studies.
Within Symphyotrichum, S. novae-angliae and S. turbinellum are monotypic within sections. S. novae-angliae is classified in the subgenus Virgulus. In 1994, it was placed in section Grandiflori, subsection Polyligulae. In 2002, it was segregated within its own section Polyliguli. The list follows the 2002 circumscription of section Polyliguli for the species. S. turbinellum is classified in the subgenus Symphyotrichum. It has been placed within its own section Turbinelli. It was previously placed in section Symphyotrichum, subsection Turbinelli. The list follows the more recent circumscription of section Turbinelli for the species.
Symphyotrichum subg. Chapmaniana Symphyotrichum subg. Astropolium Symphyotrichum subg. Virgulus sect. Ericoidei sect. Patentes subsect. Brachyphylli subsect. Patentes sect. Grandiflori subsect. Mexicanae subsect. Grandiflori sect. Polyliguli sect. Concolores Symphyotrichum subg. Ascendentes Symphyotrichum subg. Symphyotrichum sect. Conyzopsis sect. Occidentales sect. Turbinelli sect. Symphyotrichum subsect. Dumosi subsect. Heterophylli series Concinni series Cordifolii subsect. Porteriani subsect. Symphyotrichum series Punicei series Symphyotrichum
+ CladeType speciesSource Genus Symphyotrichum Subgenus Chapmaniana S. chapmanii Subgenus Astropolium S. tenuifolium Subgenus Virgulus S. concolor Section Ericoidei S. ericoides Section Patentes S. patens Subsection Brachyphylli S. walteri Subsection Patentes S. patens Section Grandiflori S. grandiflorum Subsection Mexicanae S. moranense Subsection Grandiflori S. grandiflorum Section Polyliguli S. novae-angliae Section Concolores S. concolor Subgenus Ascendentes S. ascendens Subgenus Symphyotrichum Section Conyzopsis S. ciliatum Section Occidentales S. spathulatum Section Turbinelli S. turbinellum Section Symphyotrichum Subsection Dumosi S. dumosum Subsection Heterophylli S. cordifolium Series Concinni S. laeve Series Cordifolii S. cordifolium Subsection Porteriani S. porteri Subsection Symphyotrichum Series Punicei S. puniceum Series Symphyotrichum
Species list Subgenus Chapmaniana + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. chapmanii (Torr. & A.Gray)Semple & Brouillet Aster chapmanii 1841 Wetlands, bogs, acid swamps
Subgenus Astropolium + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s) and varietiesNSHabitatDistributionS. divaricatum (Nutt.)G.L.Nesom Tripolium divaricatum 1840 Southern annual saltmarsh aster Marshy habitats, roadsides, lawns, and waste places S. glabrifolium (DC.)G.L.Nesom Erigeron glabrifolius 1836 Wet meadows and stream edges S. graminifolium (Spreng.)G.L.Nesom Conyza graminifolia 1826 Humid places S. martii (Baker)G.L.Nesom Aster martii 1882 Cerrado savanna, grasslands S. parviflorum (Nees)G.L.Nesom Aster parviflorus 1818 Southwestern annual saltmarsh aster Marshy habitats and roadsides S. patagonicum (Cabrera)G.L.Nesom Aster patagonicus 1971 Mallines and lagoon edges S. peteroanum (Phil.)G.L.Nesom Aster peteroanus 1894 Humid montane ecosystems S. potosinum (A.Gray)G.L.Nesom Aster potosinus 1880 Santa Rita Mountain aster Muddy and wet soils on stream banks S. regnellii (Baker)G.L.Nesom Aster regnellii 1882 Swamps or damp savanna soils S. subulatum (Michx.)G.L.Nesom Aster subulatus 1803 Brackish marshes, salt marshes, roadsides S. tenuifolium (L.)G.L.Nesom Aster tenuifolius 1753 Perennial saltmarsh aster Coastal salt marshes, brackish marshes, low pine woods S. vahlii (Gaudich.)G.L.Nesom Erigeron vahlii 1825 Grassland, heathland, peaty soil, sandy soil
Subgenus Virgulus Subgenus Virgulus
Section Ericoidei + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s) and varietiesNSHabitatDistributionS. ericoides (L.)G.L.Nesom Aster ericoides 1753 White heath aster Open locations with sandy, gravelly, or disturbed soil S. falcatum (Lindl.)G.L.Nesom Aster falcatus 1834 Well-drained soils, stream banks and slopes, and others
Section Patentes Section Patentes
Subsection Brachyphylli + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. adnatum (Nutt.)G.L.Nesom Aster adnatus 1834 Sandy soils, scrub, woods S. walteri (Alexander)G.L.Nesom Aster walteri 1933 Walter's aster Sandy and clay soils, woods edges, open areas
Subsection Patentes + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s) and varietiesNSHabitatDistributionS. georgianum (Alexander)G.L.Nesom Aster georgianus 1933 Georgia aster Sandy or clay soil, woodlands, mostly Piedmont S. patens (Aiton)G.L.Nesom Aster patens 1789 Dry woodlands, sandy or clay soils, fields S. phlogifolium (Muhl. ex Willd.)G.L.Nesom Aster phlogifolius 1803 Thinleaf late purple aster Various soils, rich mesic hardwood forests
Section Grandiflori Section Grandiflori
Subsection Mexicanae + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. bimater (Standl. & Steyerm.)G.L.Nesom Aster bimater 1944 Pine-oak woods, ravines, slopes, grassy openings S. chihuahuense G.L.Nesom 2018 Grassland, oak-pine woods S. hintonii (G.L.Nesom)G.L.Nesom Aster hintonii 1989 Oak and oak-pine woods S. moranense (Kunth)G.L.Nesom Aster moranensis 1818 Grassland, woodlands S. purpurascens (Sch.Bip.)G.L.Nesom Aster purpurascens 1854 Open woods S. trilineatum (Sch.Bip. ex Klatt)G.L.Nesom Aster trilineatus 1884 Mountains (sierra) S. turneri (S.D.Sundb. & A.G.Jones)G.L.Nesom Aster turneri 1986 Woods, along waterways, and in wet pastures
Subsection Grandiflori + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. campestre (Nutt.)G.L.Nesom Aster campestris 1840 Western meadow aster Dry habitats, rocky and sandy soils near ponds and streams S. estesii Semple 2019 Hydroxeric soils in open, sunny, flat prairiesApprox. S. fendleri (A.Gray)G.L.Nesom Aster fendleri 1849 Fendler's aster Open, sandy, silty, shaly, often rocky soils and similar S. fontinale (Alexander)G.L.Nesom Aster fontinalis 1933 Florida water aster Marshes, sandhills, hammocks, flood plains, streams S. grandiflorum (L.)G.L.Nesom Aster grandiflorus 1753 aster Sandy soils and hills, thickets, roadsides and higher S. oblongifolium (Nutt.)G.L.Nesom Aster oblongifolius 1818 Open and dry, rocky or sandy soils S. pygmaeum (Lindl.)Brouillet & Selliah Aster pygmaeus 1834 Pygmy aster Sandy or silty wet areas, gravelly tundra, tundra slopes S. yukonense (Cronquist)G.L.Nesom Aster yukonensis 1945 Yukon aster Mud flats, rocky or silty lakeshores
Section Polyliguli + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. novae-angliae (L.)G.L.Nesom Aster 1753 New England aster Open, typically moist habitats
Section Concolores + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s) and varietiesNSHabitatDistributionS. concolor (L.)G.L.Nesom Aster concolor 1753 Eastern silver aster Scrub, flatwoods, fields, roadsides S. lucayanum (Britton)G.L.Nesom Aster lucayanus 1906 Pineland aster Pine woodlands and wetland edges S. plumosum (Small)Semple Aster plumosus 1924 Deep, sandy soils, pine flatwoods, pine-scrub oak woods S. pratense (Raf.)G.L.Nesom Aster pratensis 1817 Barrens silky aster Prairies and fields, woodland and scrub, roadsides S. sericeum (Vent.)G.L.Nesom Aster sericeus 1800 Many open habitats
Subgenus Virgulus named hybrids + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)ParentsHabitatDistribution (Nutt.)G.L.Nesom Aster amethystinus 1840 S.ericoides× Prairies or fields, disturbed ground, near parent plants S. × batesii (Rydb.)G.L.Nesom Aster batesii 1931 S.ericoides×S.oblongifolium (Piper)G.L.Nesom Aster columbianus 1913 S.campestre×S.ericoides
Subgenus Ascendentes This subgenus contains two allopolyploid species derived from the historic hybridization of plants from the subgenera Symphyotrichum and Virgulus.
+ Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. ascendens (Lindl.)G.L.Nesom Aster ascendens 1834 Grasslands, sagebrush steppe, meadows S. defoliatum (Parish)G.L.Nesom Aster defoliatus 1904 San Bernardino aster Seeps, marshes, swamps, meadows, montane forests, coastal scrubs
Subgenus Symphyotrichum Section Conyzopsis The three species in section Conyzopsis have reduced or absent ray florets. + Scientific nameand pictureAuthor citationBasionymYearCommon name(s)NSHabitatDistributionS. ciliatum (Ledeb.)G.L.Nesom Erigeron ciliatus 1829 Moist prairies, steppes, salty areas (natural or manmade) S. frondosum (Nutt.)G.L.Nesom Tripolium frondosum 1840 Short-rayed alkali aster Wet meadows, marshes, saline conditions S. laurentianum (Fernald)G.L.Nesom Aster laurentianus 1914 Gulf of aster Brackish or salty marshes, shores, and dunesSea level ()
Section Occidentales