Doellingeria (Eucephalus) elegans | Astereae Lab

Elegant Aster

Doellingeria elegans (Nutt.) Semple, Brouillet & G.A. Allen (Allen et al., Syst. Bot. 44: 939. 2019.) is native to open meadows, aspen forests, rocky open slopes in the mountains in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. The species is distinguished by its 30–70 cm tall scabrous stems, moderately scabrellous (and sometimes glandular) linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate leaves (2-6 cm long) on both faces, and 5-8 violet to purple rays. The species is diploid (2n=18).

The species was treated as Eucephaus elegans Nutt. (Allen 2006 FNA) and has often been treated as Aster perelegans A. Nelson & J. F. Macbride and sometimes as Eucephalus perelegans (A. Nelson & J. F. Macbride) W. A. Weber.

Doellingeria elegans, shoots, 11365, Idaho

Doellingeria elegans, inflorescences, 11365, Idaho

Doellingeria elegans, head, 11365, Idaho

Doellingeria elegans, fruit (composite image), Semple et al. 9274 WAT

1-6. Doellingeria elegans. 1. Habit, Semple & Brouillet 7034, Lemhi Co., Idaho. 2-4. Habit, inflorescence, and flowering head, Semple 11365, Blaine Co., Idaho. 5. Fruit, composite image, Semple et al. 9274, Elko Co., Nevada. 6. Range map.

Last updated 27 March 2025 by J.C. Semple