Symphyotrichum eatonii

Eaton’s Aster

Symphyotrichum eatonii (A. Gray) Nesom occurs in moist to wet sunny places, wet thickets, along streams and ditches from Saskatchewan to British Columbia south to New Mexico, Arizona and California.  The species was first described as Aster foliaceus Lindley var. eatonii A. Gray and has been known under the names Aster bracteolatus Nutt., Aster eatonii (A. Gray) Howell and Sy. bracteolatum (Nutt.) Nesom. Stems can be up to 1 m tall and occur in short-rhizomed clumps; leaves are thin, margins entire or sometimes serrate, apices acute; basal leaves withering by flowering; phyllaries are often spreading, oblanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), subequal,; rays are white to pink.  The species includes diploids 2n=16, tetraploids 2n=32, hexaploids 2n=48, and octaploids 2n=64.

The species might be confused with Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. hesperium which has phyllaries similar in shape but not obviously spreading.