Photo
at right of the involucre of Klickitat aster from the eastern edge of the Big
Lava Bed south of South Prairie, Gifford Pinchot N.F..........late August,
2001.
Klickitat aster is a pretty aster with erect, often solitary stems arising from 40-150 cm high. The stems and leaves lack hairs or glands and tend to be a glaucous blue-green color. The lowest leaves are very reduced in size while the leaves of mid- to upper stem are either linear in shape and sessile or narrowly lance-elliptic in shape with very short petioles. They range from 3.5-9 cm long and 4-15 mm wide with mostly entire margins. The leaves tend to be 5-12 times longer than wide.
The flower heads are several to many with the individual involucres 7-9 mm high. The bracts are narrow, pointed and have a strong midvein which is somewhat keeled. The bracts are greenish at the tips or the margins have a narrow band of purplish coloration. The 8-13 rays are 12-20 mm long and a light purple color.
Klickitat aster is a wildflower of open woods and slopes.
Range:Aster glaucescens is found in Washington state from Mt. Adams south to the Columbia River
In the Columbia River gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 600'-4000' between the Wind and White Salmon Rivers.
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