ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Aster linariifolius
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Aster linariifolius
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    FLAX-LEAVED ASTER
    STIFF-LEAVED ASTER
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ASLI2
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
         XERIC
         DRY
         DRY-MESIC
     PRAIRIE
       SAND PRAIRIE
         DRY-MESIC
       LISTED
         CHARACTERISTIC
     SAVANNA
       SAND SAVANNA
         DRY-MESIC
       LISTED
         CHARACTERISTIC
     PRIMARY
       GLADE
         SANDSTONE
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     CENTRAL
        Upland oak
           White/Black/Northern Red-  Oak
     NORTHERN
       Pine and Hemlock
           White pine - N. Red Oak - White Ash
 
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:
     Grand Prairie
        Green River Lowland
        Kankakee Sand Area
        listed
 
 COUNTIES:
   BOONE           CARROLL         CASS            COOK            FULTON
   HANCOCK         HENDERSON       HENRY           IROQUOIS        JO DAVIESS
   KANKAKEE        LASALLE         MCHENRY         MASON           MENARD
   MORGAN          OGLE            PEORIA          ST. CLAIR       TAZEWELL
   WILL            WINNEBAGO
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (fibrous)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear   Oblong
    INFLORESCENCE:   Head
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Regular   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   Blue   Violet   White
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Achene
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Low stature, crowded stiff, narrow one-nerved leaves and few to solitary heads
     of flowers.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 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-      9         MONTH END-     10
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     SEX:      Perfect     Unisexual   -monoecious
 
 BIOLOGIC COMMENTS:
     Disk florets perfect, ray florets pistillate, both fertile.  A short caudex,
     numerous fibrous roots, but occasionally also creeping rhizomes.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Rocky pine, pine-oak, or oak-hickory woods, on ridgetops, upland slopes
     associated with sandstone, chert, or granite substrates.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           Good
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   No data entered
          NEUTRAL pH     No data entered    ACIDIC SOIL    Good
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS Good               GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE Good               STEEP SLOPES   Good
     HABITAT:   Moist   Dry   Xeric
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   INSECT
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     SHOWY FLOWERS:  YES      AMOUNT:  High
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Very desirable addition to rock gardens, but needs acid soil of sand, chert, or
     granite chips.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Possible facultative selenium accumulator.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1986.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Revised and enlarged edition.  Southern Illinois University Press,
     Carbondale.  507 pp.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Aster linariifolius
 
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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