[Asters: The Genera Canadanthus, Eucephalus, Eurybia, Oreostemma, and Symphyotrichum in Mt. Adams Country]

Douglas Aster, Douglas' Aster

Symphyotrichum subspicatum

Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatusvar. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum

Involucral bracts of Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)

Douglas' aster from Dalton Point, Columbia River Gorge.........October 12, 2006. Note that the outer edges of the bracts (at least at their bases) are whitish, a characteristic of this species.


Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)The photo at right is a close-up of the flower head of Douglas' aster as seen from the fishing area along Lakeside Rd in Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge.........September 8, 2007.

Characteristics:

Douglas' aster is a rhizomatous perennial wildflower with erect, usually unbranched stems to 130 cm high. It is highly variable in appearance and may resemble both leafy aster and Eaton's aster. The lower leaves are oblanceolate, tapering to a winged petiole. The leaves of mid-stem are lance-shaped and range from 7-13 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. The blades are smooth and hairless with toothed margins above mid-blade.

The inflorescence is a cymose panicle with several to many flower heads which are each 2-4 cm wide. The 20-30 rays are violet and about 1 cm long and surround the yellow to reddish-purple disk flowers. The involucre is about 5-6 mm long with linear bracts, the outer bracts sometimes leaf-like at the tip. The bracts loosely overlap and may be pressed down or spreading and green at the tip with yellow to whitish edges at their bases and hairy margins. Visible with a hand lens, each bract has a thin transparent margin (visible in the photo above).


Habitat:

Douglas' aster is a wildflower of streambanks and other moist places from low elevations near the seacoast to moderate elevations in mountain woodlands.


Leaf of Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)

Upper leaf surface of Douglas' aster from Dalton Point, Columbia River Gorge.........September 9, 2001. Note the short hairs along the margin of the leaf and the few narrow serrations which point forward.

Range:

Aster subspicatus is found from coastal Alaska south to coastal California and east to Alberta, Montana, northern Idaho and northeastern Oregon. It is most common west of the Cascade Mts.


Involucral bracts of Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)

The photo above shows a close-up of the involucral bracts of Douglas' aster as seen from the fishing area along Lakeside Rd in Conboy Lake NWR..........September 8, 2007.


Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)

The upper stem with alternate, toothed leaves and flower head of Douglas' aster..........October 12, 2006.

Involucral bracts of Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum) - Flower head of Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum) - Leaves of Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)

The photos above show additional views of douglas' aster as seen along the levee at the fishing area along Lakeside Rd in Conboy Lak NWR..........September 8, 2007.

Douglas' Aster, Douglas's Aster: Symphyotrichum subspicatum (Synonyms: Aster bulteri, Aster douglasii, Aster maccallae, Aster subspicatus, Aster subspicatus var. grayi, Aster subspicatus var. subspicatus, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. grayi, Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum)

Flower head of douglas' aster as seen in wetlands along the Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR........September 17, 2017.

Paul Slichter