[Asters: The Genera Canadanthus, Eucephalus, Eurybia, Oreostemma and Symphyotrichum Found East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]
Eaton's Aster, Oregon Aster, Whitish Aster
Symphyotrichum bracteolatum
Synonyms: Aster bracteolatus, Aster cordalenus, Aster eatonii, Aster foliaceus var. eatonii, Aster mearnsii, Aster oregonus, Symphyotrichum eatonii
Eaton's aster from the Deschutes River, north-central Oregon..........October
1997.
The photo at right of Eaton's aster from the Deschutes River, north-central Oregon..........October
1997.
Characteristics:
Eaton's Aster is a perennial daisy from a creeping rhizome with minutely haired
stems from 40- 100 cm in length. The leaves are smooth and hairless or rough
to the touch. The leaf edges are generally entire with the lower ones being
somewhat petiolate and the upper ones sessile. The long, thin leaves are linear
or lanceolate in shape, and range from 5- 15 cm long and 4- 20 mm wide.
The inflorescence is leafy and long. The daisy-like flower heads have white
or pink rays surrounding a yellow disk. The ray flowers number from 20- 40,
with individual rays approximately 5- 12 mm in length. The involucre ranges
in height from 4.5- 10 mm, with the leafy bracts thin and loose.
Habitat:
Eaton's Aster is a wildflower of streambanks and other moist places from low
elevation valleys to moderate elevations in the mountains.
Range:
Aster eatonii is found from southern British Columbia south through
Washington and Oregon (east of the Cascade crest) to California, and eastward
to Saskatchewan and New Mexico.
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Eaton's aster as seen in wetlands at the southeast end of Walton Lake, Ochoco National Forest............August 8, 2014.
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Close-ups of Eaton's aster as seen along Forest Service Road #16 at Big Creek in Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest..........August 20, 2011. Note the narrow stem leaves (up to 1 cm in width) and numerous flower heads, with one or more flower heads found at the leaf axils along the length of the side branches below the terminal heads.
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Eaton's aster as seen at Paige Springs Campground at the western base of the Steens Mountain, Harney County, Oregon...........September 3, 2011. Note the numerous flower heads and long, narrow leaves which help make identifying this species fairly easy.
Paul Slichter