Symphyotrichum
sect.
Conyzopsis
(syn:
Brachyactis
Ledeb.)
includes
three
x=7
species
of
asters
native
to
North
America
(Houle
and
Brouillet
1985).
The
section
has
been
treated
as
a
separate
genus
(e.g.,
Jones
1989).
However,
it
is
either
derived
from
or
are
closely
related
to
the
Foliacei
asters
but
differ
in
the
lower
chromosome
base
number
and
in
having
numerous
small
rays
in
multiple
series
or
no
rays.
The
pappus
consists
of
numerous
fine
pappus
bristles
that
are
distinctive
within
Symphyotrichum
(Semple
&
Hood
in
press).
The
plants
inhabit
moist
saline
soils
of
summer-receding
shores
of
lakes
or
ponds,
vernally
alkaline
bottoms,
marshes,
intertidal
salt
marshes,
moist
dune
slacks.
Symphyotrichum
ciliatum
is
also
native
to
the
steppes
of
Eurasia,
probably
migrating
into
the
area
from
North
America
during
Quaternary
glaciation
(Brouillet
et
al.,
in
press).
Illustrations
