Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
49. Asteraceae, the Aster Family
2. Aster L. -- Aster4. Aster lucidulus (A. Gray) Wieg.
Erect perennial 4-12 dm tall, from long-creeping rhizomes; stem stout, branched above, pubescent in lines in the inflorescence, glabrous or sparingly hispid below the inflorescence. Leaves sessile, lanceolate, 5-15 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide, reduced and crowded in the inflorescence, scabrous above, acuminate, entire to shallowly toothed, auriculate-clasping. Heads usually many, rather crowded, 1.5-2 cm across; involucre 5-9 mm high, the bracts slender, scarcely or not at all imbricate, the outer ones occasionally enlarged and foliaceous; rays usually 30-60, blue to lavender or seldom white, 7-18 mm long. Aug--Sep. Stream banks, pond margins and swampy places; uncommon in extreme se ND; (NY to MN and se ND, s to WV and MO).
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