Symphyotrichum undulatum

Wavyleaf Aster, Wavy-leaved Aster

Symphyotrichum undulatum (L.) Nesom is native to dry or well-drained, loamy or rocky soils, open decidous woods, borders, clearings, dry hammocks, sandhills, and open-wooded bluffs underlain by sandstone or limestone occurring from Nova Scotia to southern Illinois south to Florida and Louisiana (Brouillet et al. 2006; FNA). Stem leaves are winged-petiolate, the wings wider toward the base and leaves ± sessile, the wings abruptly widening at the strongly auriculate-clasping petiolar bases of lower stem leaves; rays usually blue to purple, sometimes lilac. The species is mostly tetraploid 2n=32 with limited reports of diploids 2n=16.

Symphyotrichum undulatum is of conservation concern in Illinois and Nova Scotia.  The report for the species occurring on Ontario has been questioned (Semple et al. 2002).

Semple, J.C., S.B. Heard and L. Brouillet. 2002. Cultivated and native asters of Ontario (Compositae: Astereae): Aster L. (including Asteromoea Blume, Diplactis Raf. and Kalimeris (Cass.) Cass.), Callistephus Cass., Galatella Cass., Doellingeria Nees, Oclemena E.L. Greene, Eurybia (Cass.) S.F. Gray, Canadanthus Nesom, and Symphyotrichum Nees (including Virgulus Raf.). U.Waterloo Biology Series 41: 1-134.

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.

Revised 13 May 2021 by J.C. Semple

© 2021 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated