ASTERACEAE – ASTER FAMILY Plant: herbs (annual or perennial), some shrubs, rarely vines or trees. Stem: Root: Often with tubers, rhizomes, stolons, or fleshy roots Leaves: mostly simple, some compound, alternate or opposite, rarely whorled. Flowers: flower head supported by an involucre (whorl of green bracts); each head composed of small flowers (composite) of flat ray-like (ligulate) flowers on the outside (ray flowers) and central tube-like flowers (disk flowers) – some species may have only one or the other. Calyx absent or modified into hairs, bristles, scales or a crown (pappus); 5 stamens (syngenesious -united by anthers); 5 united petals (sympetalous), receptacle may also have hairs or bristles. Both pappus and receptacle hairs/bristles may be used in ID. Fruit: achene (small, one-seeded, inferior ovule, 2 carpels, hard shell fruit) often with persisting crowned pappus which helps with seed dispersal. Other: Very large family, 1-2,000 genera, 20,000+ species. Dicotyledons Group WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive ASTERACEAE – ASTER FAMILY Annual Marsh Elder [Sump Weed]; Iva annua L. [Two-Flowered] Cynthia [Dwarfdandelion]; Krigia biflora (Walt.) Blake var. biflora Potato [Dwarf] Dandelion; Krigia dandelion (L.) Nutt. Virginia Dwarf-Dandelion; Krigia virginica (L.) Willd. Wild [Canada] Lettuce; Lactuca canadensis L. var. canadensis Wild [Canada] Lettuce; Lactuca canadensis L. var. longifolia Tall Blue [Woodland] Lettuce; Lactuca floridana (L.) Gaertn. Willowleaf Lettuce; Lactuca saligna L. (Introduced) Prickly [Yellow] Lettuce; Lactuca serriola L. (Introduced) Ox-Eye Daisy; Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. (Introduced) Rough [Tall] Blazing Star; Liatris aspera Michx. Cylindrical [Ontario] Blazing Star; Liatris cylindracea Michx. Dotted Blazing Star [Prairie Snakeroot]; Liatris punctata Hook. Prairie Blazing Star [Cattail Gay-Feather; Liatris pycnostachya Michx. Devil's Bite [Northern Blazing Star]; Liatris scariosa (L.) Willd. Dense [Marsh] Blazing Star; Liatris spicata (L.) Willd. Scaly Blazing Star; Liatris squarrosa (L.) Michx. [Texas] Skeleton-Plant; Lygodesmia texana (Torr. & A. Gray) Greene Pineapple-Weed [Disc Mayweed]; Matricaria discoidea DC. (Introduced) Plains Blackfoot [Rock] Daisy; Melampodium leucanthum Torr. & A. Gray Climbing Hempvine [Hempweed]; Mikania scandens (L.) Willd. (M. pubescens Nutt.) Annual Marsh Elder [Sump Weed] USDA Iva annua L. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Big Cane Conservation Area, Butler County, Missouri Notes: discoid; central staminate flowers pendant in dense spikes with heads solitary at nodes, each with a leafy bract, pistillate heads marginal; leaves mostly opposite (some may be alternate toward tip) and variable in petiole length and hairiness, lanceolate to ovate, toothed or not; stem finely ridged, glabrous toward base but hairy toward tip; summer to fall (some base varieties on bract shape) [V Max Brown, 2012] [Two-Flowered] Cynthia USDA [Dwarf-Dandelion] Krigia biflora (Walt.) Blake var. biflora Asteraceae (Aster Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ligulate; flowers orange to yellowish-orange; leaves mostly basal, elliptical to lanceolate-ovate, mostly entire but can be toothed to somewhat pinnatifid, mostly glabrous, stem leaves reduced and clasping; stem branching above; late spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2006] Potato [Dwarf] Dandelion USDA Krigia dandelion (L.) Nutt. AsteraceaeGlades, (Aster taumFamily) salk Taum Sauk Moutain State Park, Iron County, Missouri Notes: ligulate; flowers yellow; 20-45 bristles and 10-15 scales makeup the pappus (upper part of achene); leaves basal, linear to lanceolate, entire to somewhat pinnatifid, mostly sessile, usually hairy; stems hairy; tubers present; glades, bluffs, ledges, and upland forests; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2010] Virginia Dwarf- USDA Dandelion Krigia virginica (L.) Willd. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ligulate; flowers yellow, 5-7 bristles and 5-7 scales makeup the pappus (upper part of achene); leaves basal, lanceolate to narrow ovate, entire to somewhat pinnatifid; stems hairy; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2006] Wild [Canada] Lettuce USDA Lactuca canadensis L. var. canadensis Asteraceae (Aster Family) Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ligulate; flowers yellow to reddish-yellow, heads elongated, usually 12+ heads; leaves mostly entire, linear-lanceolate, clasping at base, usually not lobed, glabrous; achene flat, black with filiform beak; tall plant to 3m; varieties based on leaf structure and not accepted by everyone; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Wild [Canada] Lettuce USDA Lactuca canadensis L. var. longifolia Asteraceae (Aster Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ligulate; flowers yellow to reddish-yellow, heads elongated, 12+ heads; leaves pinnatifid, segments usually entire (not toothed), often clasping; achene flat, black with filiform beak; tall plant to 3m; varieties based on leaf structure and not accepted by everyone; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Tall Blue [Woodland] Lettuce USDA Lactuca floridana (L.) Gaertn. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ligulate; flowers blue (white); leaves usually pinnatifid and coarsely toothed; achenes with white pappus, several veins on surface, with or without a beak; tall plant (to 3m); summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Willowleaf Lettuce USDA Lactuca saligna L. (Introduced) Asteraceae (Aster Family) Nixa area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: ligulate; flowers mostly yellowish, inflorescence spike-like or in axils of leaves; leaves variably lobed or without lobes on upper stem, entire (no teeth), narrow basal lobes clasping stem; no spines (not prickly) either on leaves or veins, usually glabrous, leaves usually ascending on stem; stem not prickly; waste areas; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2017] Prickly [Yellow] Lettuce USDA Lactuca serriola L. (Introduced) Asteraceae (Aster Family) Terre Haute area, Vigo County, Indiana Notes: ligulate; flowers light yellow, dries bluish; leaves pinnatifid or variably lobed, spiny on lower midrib and on margins, glabrous above, often ascending on stem; achenes with long beak; stem may also be prickly; tall plant; waste areas; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Ox-Eye Daisy USDA Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. (Introduced) Asteraceae (Aster Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ray flowers (15-35) white, disc yellow with dimple in center, bracts with brown margins; lower and basal leaves ovate to spatulate with long petioles, upper leaves sessile, lanceolate, with pronounced teeth that become larger toward stem; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Rough [Tall] Blazing Star USDA Liatris aspera Michx. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: discoid; flower purple (white), upper phyllaries - broad, rounded, peeled back, with deep scarious margins, pappus barbed (not plumose); leaves linear to narrow lanceolate, gradually reduced upward; stem often pubescent; late summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Cylindrical [Ontario] Blazing USDA Star Liatris cylindracea Michx. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Adams Lake State Park, Adams County, Ohio Notes: discoid; flower purple, heads cylindrical with few to many flowers, hairy within, phyllaries appressed, ovate with a sharp point (mucronate), glabrous on back, peduncles glabrous; leaves very long (especially at base), linear; stem glabrous; dry prairies; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2009] Dotted Blazing Star USDA [Prairie Snakeroot] Liatris punctata Hook. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: discoid; flowers purple (3-8 heads), upper phyllaries - broad, rounded to acuminate, peeled back, with shallow scarious margins, pappus plumose; heads oblong on dense spikes; leaves linear, reduced upward, less than 0.5 cm wide, many round dots on underside; stem glabrous; plants usually less than 90 cm tall; prairies; late summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Prairie Blazing Star USDA [Cattail Gay-Feather] Liatris pycnostachya Michx. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Cave City area, Sharp County, Arkansas Notes: discoid; flower purple, upper phyllaries - broad, rounded to acuminate, peeled back, with deep scarious margins, pappus barbellate; heads oblong on dense spikes, rachis hairy; lower leaves very long (linear), reduced upward; stem densely hairy; late summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Devil's Bite [Northern Blazing Star] USDA Liatris scariosa (L.) Willd. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Adams Lake State park, Adams County, Ohio Notes: discoid; flower purple, few to many flowered, pappus barbed; peduncles short, upper phyllaries - broad, rounded, somewhat peeled back, scarious margins but not deeply lacerate; leaves linear to narrow lanceolate, gradually reduced upward, lowest leaves lanceolate with long petioles; stem slightly hairy; late summer to early fall (often similar to L. aspera, sometimes difficult to ID) [V Max Brown, 2009] Dense [Marsh, Spiked] Blazing Star USDA Liatris spicata (L.) Willd. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: discoid; flowers purple (rarely white), phyllaries - rounded, glabrous, not peeled back, flower clusters dense and mostly sessile, pappus barbellate; lower leaves linear and long; stem glabrous; late summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Scaly Blazing Star USDA Liatris squarrosa (L.) Michx. Asteraceae (Aster Family)