Symphyotrichum falcatum var. crassulum (Rydb.) G.L.Nesom
Virgulus falcatus var. commutatus (Torr. & A.Gray) Schaack & Windham
Symphyotrichum falcatum (formerly Aster falcatus) is a species of flowering plant in the familyAsteraceae. Commonly called white prairie aster and western heath aster,[5] it is native to a widespread area of central and western North America.
Description
White prairie aster blooms July–November depending on variety and location. It is colonial or cespitose and grows 10–80 centimeters (4–31 inches) tall. It has hairy stems and hairy, grayish-green and firm entire leaves.[6]
On the outside of the flower heads of all members of the family Asteraceae are small specialized leaves called "phyllaries", and together they form the involucre that protects the individual flowers in the head before they open.[a][7] The involucres of S. falcatum are campanulate (bell-shaped) and usually 5–8 mm (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) long. The outer phyllaries are spreading to reflexed (bent sharply backwards) and oblanceolate to spatulate in shape. The inner phyllaries are linear-lanceolate. They are in 3–4 unequal rows, meaning they are staggered and do not end at the same point.[6]
The flower heads have 15–35 usually white ray florets, sometimes blue or pink, that are typically 18–30 millimeters (3⁄4–1+1⁄8 inches) long. These surround a center of roughly the same number of disk florets that start as yellow and become brown with age.[6]
Bracts, involucres, and phyllaries.
Close-up of ray and disk florets
Chromosomes
Symphyotrichum falcatum has a base number of x = 5.[8]Diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid cytotypes with respective chromosome counts of 10, 20, and 30 have been reported, depending upon the infraspecies, as follows:
S. spathulatum var. falcatum: 2n = 2x = 10, 2n = 4x = 20, and 2n = 6x = 30.[9]
Symphyotrichum falcatum is one of the two species within Symphyotrichumsect.Ericoidei. The other is S. ericoides.[10] The species was first formally described by John Lindley in 1834 as Aster falcatus.[11]
Two varieties are recognized:
S. falcatum var. falcatum, cespitose with up to ten stems from caudices,[6] and known commonly as white prairie aster, western heath aster, creeping white prairie aster, falcate aster, and little grey aster.[12]
S. falcatum var. commutatum, communal with stems growing from rhizomes.[6] Common names of this variety include white prairie aster, western heath aster, and little grey aster, as well as cluster aster.[13]
The blossoms, ground to a fine meal, are sprinkled into a bowl of yucca suds used for bathing a new-born infant. This medicine is said to make the hair grow on the head and to give strength to the body. The remedy belongs to all women.[15]
Morhardt, S.; Morhardt, E. (2004). California Desert Flowers: An Introduction to Families, Genera, and Species. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press. ISBN0520240030.
Vestal, P.A. (1952). "The Ethnobotany of the Ramah Navaho". Papers of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology. 40 (4): 48. Retrieved 23 July 2021 – via abstract at Native American Ethnobotany DB (naeb.brit.org).
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