Saturday morning

[vaneramos]

Aster vimineus (?)




Danny at the covered bridge

Comments

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I had forgotten about an article I wrote several years ago pointing out that Aster has been divided into several genera. I also realized I have positively identified this plant before as Symphyotrichum lateriflorus, formerly A. lateriflorus, distinctive because of how dramatically the disk florets age from yellow to dark purplish-red. I wish I could remember these things more easily year to year.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Ah. For some reason I overlooked that one (it's on a different page from vimineus, so maybe that's why). My 1977 guide, of course, predates the subdivision of the genus.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

The NRCS Plants Database has a good Symphyotrichum image gallery. My Roger Tory Peterson guide is out of date, too.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, yes. Of course the advantage of my hardcopy guide io that I can take it out into the yard and look at it and the plant at the same time. :-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

One of the problems of trying to identify these from a photograph is not being able to check all the distinguishing features. The change in taxonomy makes it especially confusing. I can't even find a precise counterpart for A. vimineus. It is listed as a synonym for three different Symphyotrichum species. I think I need a new field guide. :)