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- Dichotomous Key
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- Asteraceae Group 2
- Symphyotrichum
- Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
Symphyotrichum tenuifolium — perennial saltmarsh American-aster
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Facts
Perennial saltmarsh American-aster is confined to salt marshes and brackish river shores. Although it has few flowers compared to other American-asters, it is conspicuous in these habitats because they feature few other large-flowered species.
Habitat
Brackish or salt marshes and flats, marshes, shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 7–150 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 21-50
- more than 50
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract color
-
- the bracts are colored, or at least tinged with, pink, red or purple
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract inner side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their inner surfaces
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract texture
-
- the bracts appear leathery or hardened
- the bracts appear thin, flexible and nearly translucent
- Bract tip color
- the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
- Bract tip orientation
- the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips
- Bract tip shape
-
- the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
- the tips of the bracts are acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 21-50
- more than 50
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
-
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
- the flower head is shaped like a cone with the point up
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 6–11 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
- Ovary cross-section
-
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary profile
- in profile, the ovary is roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle
- Peduncle hair type
- NA
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles have no hairs
- Peduncle length
- 0.6–6 mm
- Ray flower color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 11-15
- 16-25
- Ray length
- 4.5–7.5 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
- the style branch is narrow at the tip, or the style branches are narrow at the tips
- Width of flower head base
- 9–15 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 2.8–4.5 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- the pappus hairs are not attached to one another near the base
- Seed hair tuft color
-
- the pappus hairs are tan to dark brown
- the pappus hairs are white or off-white
- Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
- Seed hair tuft length
- 3–6.1 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
- the pappus hairs are slender
- Seed hairs uniform
- all the pappus hairs are approximately the same length
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
-
Glands or sap
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have no glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Ovary glands
- there are no visible glands on the ovary
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade bloom
-
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- there is a noticeable powdery or waxy bloom on the underside of the leaf
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 7–150 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–10 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- At least 0 mm
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
-
- brackish or salt marshes and flats
- marshes
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of an odor
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem bloom
-
- the stem has a powdery or waxy film on it that can be rubbed away
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair length
- 0 mm
- Stem internode hair type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem wings
-
- the stem does not have wings on it
- the stem has wings on it that run down the stem from the leaf nodes
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
var. tenuifolium
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Aster tenuifolius L.
Family
Genus
Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England
Our variety is Symphyotrichum tenuifolium (L.) Nesom var. tenuifolium.
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
24. Symphyotrichum tenuifolium (L.) Nesom var. tenuifolium N
perennial saltmarsh American-aster. Aster tenuifolius L. • CT, MA, NH, RI. Saline marshes, brackish river shores.