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 group, 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 Tall Blacktip Ragwort; Senecio atratus Greene Arrowleaf Ragwort; Senecio triangularis Hook. Common Groundsel [Old-Man-In-The-Spring]; Senecio vulgaris L. (Introduced) Starry Rosinweed; Silphium asteriscus L. [Wholeleaf] Rosinweed; Silphium integrifolium Michx. Compass Plant; Silphium laciniatum L. Cup Plant [Indian Cup]; Silphium perfoliatum L. Prairie-Dock [Prairie Rosenweed]; Silphium terebinthinaceum Jacq. var. terebinthinaceum Yellow-Flowered [Hairy; Large-Flowered] Leafcup; Smallanthus uvedalius (L.) Mack. ex Small Atlantic Goldenrod; Solidago arguta Aiton Blue-Stemmed [Wreath] Goldenrod; Solidago caesia L. Canadal [Tall] Goldenrod; Solidago canadensis L. and Solidago altissima L. Zigzag [Broad-Leaved] Goldenrod; Solidago flexicaulis L. Tall [Giant] Goldenrod; Solidago gigantea Aiton Hairy Goldenrod; Solidago hispida Muhl. ex Willd. Gray [Old-Field] Goldenrod; Solidago nemoralis Ait. Roundleaf [Rough Leaved; Swamp] Goldenrod; Solidago patula Muhl. ex Willd. var. patula Rough [Wrinkleleaf] Goldenrod; Solidago rugosa P. Mill. ssp. rugosa Seaside Goldenrod ; Solidago sempervirens L. var. mexicana (L.) Fernald Showy Goldenrod; Solidago speciosa Nutt. Elmleaf Goldenrod; Solidago ulmifolia Muhl. ex Willd. Field Sow Thistle; Sonchus arvensis L. (Introduced Spiny-Leaved Sow Thistle; Sonchus asper (L.) Hill (Introduced) Store-Front [Common] Sow Thistle; Sonchus oleraceus L. (Introduced) ASTERACEAE – ASTER FAMILY Many-Ray [Woodland] Aster; Symphyotrichum anomalum (Engelm.) G.L. Nesom Northern Bog Aster; Symphyotrichum boreale (Torr. & A. Gray) A. Löve & D. Löve (A. borealis) Common Blue [Heart-Leaved] Wood Aster; Symphyotrichum cordifolium (L.) Nesom Drummond's Aster; Symphyotrichum drummondii (Lindl.) Nesom var. drummondii [White] Heath Aster; Symphyotrichum ericoides (L.) Nesom var. ericoides Smooth Blue Aster; Symphyotrichum laeve (L.) A.& D. Löve var. laeve White Panicle Aster; Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (Willd.) Nesom ssp. lanceolatum var. lanceolatum Side-Flowering Aster [Calico Aster]; Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (L.) A.& D. Löve var. lateriflorum New England Aster; Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (L.) Nesom Aromatic Aster; Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Nutt.) G.L. Nesom Skyblue Aster; Symphyotrichum oolentangiense (Riddell) G.L. Nesom var. oolentangiense (A. azureus) Late Purple [Spreading] Aster; Symphyotrichum patens (Aiton) G.L. Nesom var. patens Hairy [White Oldfield] Aster; Symphyotrichum pilosum (Willd.) Nesom var. pilosum Willowleaf Aster; Symphyotrichum praealtum Poir. Purplestem [Swamp] Aster; Symphyotrichum puniceum (L.) A. Löve & D. Löve var. puniceum Silky [Western Silver] Aster; Symphyotrichum sericeum (Vent.) G.L. Nesom (Aster sericeus Vent.) Short's Aster; Symphyotrichum shortii (Lindl.) Nesom [Smooth Violet] Prairie Aster; Symphyotrichum turbinellum (Lindl.) G.L. Nesom White Arrowleaf Aster; Symphyotrichum urophyllum (Lindl.) Tall Blacktip Ragwort USDA Senecio atratus Greene Asteraceae (Aster Family) Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Notes: ray flowers yellow (3-5+); disc flowers yellow, bracts linear with black triangular points; leaves thick, tomentose above and below, with small hard teeth (points); cauline leaves lanceolate and sessile tapering to stem, basal leaves wide lanceolate to ovate with wide petiole; montane to alpine environments; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2012] Arrowleaf Ragwort USDA Senecio triangularis Hook. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Notes: ray flowers yellow (6-8+); disc flowers yellow, phyllaries in one row, lanceolate with small black points, many flower heads in flat cluster; leaves alternate, most often with a truncated base, lanceolate, with coarse sharp teeth, prominent petioles; montane to alpine environments; large leafy plants; summer [V Max Brown, 2012] Common Groundsel USDA [Old-Man-In-The-Spring] Senecio vulgaris L. (Introduced) Asteraceae (Aster Family) University of Toledo Campus, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: discoid; disc flowers yellow, bracts linear; leaves thick, pinnatifid or just coarsely or irregularly toothed, mostly glabrous, upper sessile to tapering at base on lower leaves; often a pest in waste ground; late spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Starry Rosinweed USDA Silphium asteriscus L. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Alley Springs, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Shannon County, Missouri Notes: ray flowers (8-15+) yellow, several rows of very hairy bracts which are sharp-pointed, often recurved, may be glandular; leaves alternate, lanceolate, sessile, slightly toothed or entire, usually quite hairy and rough; stem mostly rounded, usually with stiff long hairs; late spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2009] [Wholeleaf] Rosinweed USDA Silphium integrifolium Michx. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Cave City area, Sharp County, Arkansas Notes: ray flower (15-35) yellow, bracts sharp- pointed, usually recurved, pubescent or not and often glandular; leaves thick, ovate to ovate- lanceolate, mostly opposite, entire to toothed, usually sharp-pointed, cordate and clasping at base; stem round, with short hairs or not; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Compass Plant USDA Silphium laciniatum L. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: ray flowers (20-35) yellow, disk yellow and wide, inflorescences short-stalked to sessile, bracts sharp- pointed, often recurved, hairy and glandular; basal leaves - long, thick, pubescent, 1-2 pinnately lobed or divided, rough and glandular, upper stem leaves alternate and reduced; stem hairy; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Cup Plant [Indian Cup; Cup Rosinweed] USDA Silphium perfoliatum L. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ray flowers (17-35) large, yellow, disc flowers yellow; basal leaves petiolate, middle and upper leaves ovate-triangular, toothed, and usually strongly perfoliate; stem square, somewhat pubescent or not; tall plant; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2003] Prairie Dock [Prairie Rosenweed] USDA Silphium terebinthinaceum Jacq. var. terebinthinaceum Asteraceae (Aster Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: ray flowers (13-21) yellow, disk flowers yellow; leaves mostly basal or near base on long petioles, very large, serrate, thick and rough, generally ovate and somewhat cordate at base; stem circular but with many fine angles; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Yellow-Flowered [Hairy; USDA Large-Flowered] Leafcup Smallanthus uvedalius (L.) Mack. ex Small Asteraceae (Aster Family) Watauga Lake Area, Carter County, Tennessee Notes: ray flowers (10-15) yellow, and up to 3cm, disk flowers yellow; leaves coarse and large, somewhat palmately lobed, winged petiole to stem, phyllaries ovate to lanceolate; lower stem mostly glabrous, upper stem and pedicels hairy and glandular; woods; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2008] Atlantic Goldenrod USDA Solidago arguta Aiton Asteraceae (Aster Family) Wire Road Conservation Area, Stone County, Missouri Notes: 2 to 8 ray florets, up to 20 disc florets, both yellow, inflorescence usually an open pyramidal panicle, tip often nodding; basal leaves present at flowering, up to 30 cm long, elliptical to ovate with long winged petioles; middle and upper cauline leaves up to 8+ cm with similar shape and may be sessile in upper part; leaves toothed; plant erect, up to 1+ m long, glabrous below inflorescence; woods (several varieties); summer to fall (inflorescence not well developed in this sample) Additional leaf [V Max Brown, 2014] rosettes may be present Blue-Stemmed [Wreath] USDA Goldenrod Solidago caesia L. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Pokagon State Park, Steuben County, Indiana Notes: ray flowers (4-5) yellow, disk yellow, from leaf axils; leaves long lanceolate, serrate, mostly sessile, tapered at both ends, reduced upward; stem arches, glabrous and glaucous, bluish in mature plants, not angled; late summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Canadal [Tall] Goldenrod Solidago canadensis L. and Solidago altissima L. Asteraceae (Aster Family) Near Ozark, Christian County, Missouri Notes: ray (5-15) and disc (2-7) flowers yellow, flowers in 1-sided plumes, bracts yellowish-green; leaves long lanceolate, 3-veined, finely and sharply toothed; stem fine hairy above and often below; summer to early fall (the 2 species and their varieties are often very difficult to ID with certainty) [V Max Brown, 2011] Zigzag [Broad-Leaved] USDA Goldenrod