ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Aster furcatus
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Aster furcatus
 AUTHORITY:  Burgess
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    FORKED ASTER
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ASFU
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
         DRY
     WETLAND
       SEEP & SPRING
         CALCAREOUS SEEP
     PRIMARY
       BLUFF
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     CENTRAL
        Upland oak
           White/Black/Northern Red-  Oak
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   FULTON          GRUNDY          HENDERSON       KANE            KANKAKEE
   LAKE            LASALLE         MCHENRY         MARSHALL        MASON
   OGLE            PEORIA          TAZEWELL        WINNEBAGO       WOODFORD
 
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (rhizomes)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Serrate
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Lanceolate   Ovate     Oval
    INFLORESCENCE:   Corymb  Head
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Incomplete   Regular   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   White   Others
 
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Threatened-ST
     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-     10
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     SEX:      Perfect     Unisexual   -monoecious
 
 BIOLOGIC COMMENTS:
     This is one of the earliest-blooming mid-western asters, starting
     in July. Disk florets are perfect and fertile; ray florets
     are pistillate and fertile.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed in northern Illinois in hilly country;
     shaded calcareous springy soil; with Carya ovata. See also SAF
     forest cover type.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   INSECT
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     SHOWY FLOWERS:  YES      AMOUNT:  High
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Species is easily grown, does well in a woodland or shaded
     wild-flower garden; will spread via creeping underground stems.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:
     FOOD VALUE:  No data entered
     COVER VALUE:  No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK PALATABILITY DATA:
     CATTLE FORAGE: No data    SHEEP FORAGE:  No data    HORSE FORAGE:  No data
     GOAT FORAGE:   No data    ENERGY VALUE:  No data    PROTEIN VALUE: No data
     POISONOUS (LIVESTOCK):   Suspect
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Species is possible selenium accumulator.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 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.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of the Central United
     States. Regent Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KA. 165 pp.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Aster furcatus
 
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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