Symphyotrichum retroflexum

Symphyotrichum retroflexum (Lindl.) Nesom is native to moist meadows, moist woodlands, dry, open, pine or oak woods, and wooded roadsides in the southern Appalachian Mts. of western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western South Carolina, northern Georgia and adjacent Alabama and Virginia (Brouillet et al. 2006; FNA). The species has been treated as Aster retroflexus Lindl. and Aster curtisii Torr. & A. Gray. It is possible that the species is an allopolyploid derived from members of S. subsect Cordifolii and S. subsect. Symphyotrichum (Brouillet et al. 2006). The ray florets are bluish to purple and the outer phyllaries are long and spreading to recurved. The species has been reported to be hexaploid (2n=48).

Brouillet, L., J.C. Semple, G.A. Allen,  K. Chambers and S. Sundburg. 2006.  Symphyotrichum Nees. pp. 465-539. In Flora North America Editorial Committee, eds. Flora of North America. Vol. 20. Asteraceae, Part 2. Astereae and Senecioneae. Oxford University Press, New York.

Last revised 13 May 2025 by J.C. Semple

© 2025 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated