Symphyotrichum concolor (L.) G.L. Nesom - Eastern Silver Aster
Family - Asteraceae
Stems:
Stem covered with appressed leaves.
Leaves:
Inflorescence:
N/A
Involucre:
Ray flowers:
Disk flowers:
N/A
Flowering - August - November, sometimes as early as July.
Habitat - Woodlands, thickets, old fields, pinelands, sandhills.
Origin - Native to North America.
Other information - This species can be found scattered throughout much of Alabama. The plant is easy to identify in flower because the small, silvery leaves of the flowering scape are ascending and mostly appressed to the stem. This, combined with the bluish-pink flowers, makes the plant easy to ID in the field.
The genus name Symphyotrichum derives from the Greek "symphy(o)" meaning "coming together" and "trich(o)" meaning "hair" referring to ?, possibly the anthers of the flowers.
The species epithet concolor derives from the Latin "con" meaning "with, together" and "color" meaning "color." The name means "of uniform color" and refers to the leaves.
Alabama Distribution:
Photographs taken at the Conecuh National Forest, AL., 10-23-04, and at Fort Benning, GA., 10-12-05.