ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Aster macrophyllus
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Aster macrophyllus
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    BIG-LEAVED ASTER
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ASMA2
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
         DRY
       FLATWOODS
         NORTHERN
     SAVANNA
     WETLAND
       SWAMP
     PRIMARY
       LAKE SHORE
         FOREDUNE
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     NORTHERN
       Northern Hardwoods
           Beech - Sugar Maple
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   BOONE           COOK            LAKE
 
 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     Cordate
    INFLORESCENCE:   Corymb  Head
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Incomplete   Regular   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   Violet
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Achene
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Rare
     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 and fertile; ray florets are pistillate and fertile.
     Species has creeping rhizomes, sometimes also a short branched
     caudex.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed in northern Illinois, on slopes of wooded dunes with
     Fraxinus americana and Ostrya virginiana, hummocks in swamp forest,
     and open woods. See also SAF forest cover types.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   INSECT
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     EDIBLE:  Yes
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Species has large, heart-shaped leaves which are used as potherb in
     Maine & Quebec; these should be gathered young.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Species is possible selenium accumulator.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
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.
Mackenzie, K. K.  1940.  North American Cariceae.  2 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 macrophyllus
 
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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