Boltonia decurrens (Winged false aster)

Boltonia decurrens (Torr. & A. Gray) Alph. Wood

Winged false aster

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Asterales	Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies
Family	Asteraceae	The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers
Genus	Boltonia	For James Bolton, English botanist of the 18th century
Species	decurrens	With the leaf margins running gradually into the stem, that is, having a wing-like or ridge-like extension beyond the actual or apparent point of attachment, like a leaf base that seems to continue down the stem

About plant names...

Decurrent false aster is native to the floodplains of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and now rare due to habitat loss. The plants are adapted to periodic flooding, capable of growing when largely submerged.

Identification: Plants form dense, bushlike clusters up to 5' (1.5 m) in height. Leaves decrease in width until they form wings on their stems (“decurrent”). They are up to 6" (15 cm) long, and linear or lanceolate. Like other members of the aster family, each flower is a composite flower, composed of a central yellow disc with 230-400 tiny disc florets, surrounded by 45-60 white or pale purple rays. Flowers are up to 1¾" (5 cm) across, occurring in dense panicles or corymbs. They appear from August to September.

Online References:

Boltonia decurrens on Wikipedia

Boltonia decurrens at the Center for Plant Conversation

Boltonia decurrens on eFloras

8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia

Boltonia asteroides (L.) L’Hér. var. decurrens (Torr. & A. Gray) Fernald

Boltonia latisquama A. Gray var. decurrens (Torr. & A. Gray) Fernald & Grisc.

Boltonia decurrens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia
≈ 4 × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m)

8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia
≈ 15 × 10" (37 × 25 cm)

Range: Zones 4-8:

About this map...