ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Aster borealis
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Aster borealis
 AUTHORITY:  (T. & G.) Prov.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    RUSH ASTER
 
 SYNONOMY:
     Aster junciformis Rydb.
 
 PLANTS CODE: ASJU
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     WETLAND
       SWAMP
       BOG
       FEN
       BORDER OF LAKE
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     NO
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   COOK            KANE            KANKAKEE        LAKE            MCHENRY
   PEORIA          WILL
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (rhizomes)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear   Oblong
    INFLORESCENCE:   Head
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Incomplete   Regular   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   Blue   Violet   White
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Achene
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 GEOGRAPHIC COMMENTS:
     Species is occasional in northern Illinois, south to Peoria county.
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Occasional
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual   Vegetative
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      8         MONTH END-      9
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     SEX:      Perfect     Unisexual   -monoecious
 
 BIOLOGIC COMMENTS:
     Disk florets are perfect, ray florets are pistillate, both
     are fertile.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed in cold bogs, calcareous bogs, and calcareous
     fens.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   INSECT
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:    No data entered
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Species is a possible selenium indicator.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:
     WEEDINESS:   Non-weedy
 
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Fernald, M. L.  1950.  Gray's manual of botany.  8th ed.  American Book Co.,
     New York.  1632 pp.
Gleason, H. A.  1952.  The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the
     northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.  3 vols.  The New York
     Botanical Garden, New York.
Kingsbury, J. M.  1964.  Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada.
     Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.  626 pp.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Aster borealis
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015