A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Aster,-eris (s.m.III), abl.sg. astere = Gk. astEr,-eros (s.m.III), a star; cf. astrum,-i (s.n.II), a star; = stella,-ae (s.f.I), q.v., a star [> Gk. astEr,-eros (s.m.III), a star; a star in a constellation; flame, light, fire; (medic.) name of various remedies (after Liddell & Scott)]; see stella,-ae (s.f.I), star.

NOTE: the noun suffix -aster,-tri (s.n.II): as in Pinaster, indicating inferiority or incomplete resemblance, should not be confused with this noun (Stearn).

(Latin): “a star; a plant, esp. Aster Atticus, Pall. [= A. mellus L.], the Italian starwort; “aster ab aliquis bubonion appellatur, Plin. [= aster, by some called ‘bubonion’]; Aster Samius, a kind of Samian earth or clay, whose nature and healing power are described in Plin. 35, 16, 53 [parag.] 191. (Lewis & Short); = astrum,-i (s.n.II), q.v., star; destiny (Glare).

NOTE: bubonium,-ii (s.n.II), also bubonion,-ii (s.n.II) > Gk. boubOnion, “a plant useful against swellings in the groin, also called ‘Aster Atticus’ (Pliny) (Lewis & Short). [> Gk. astEr,-eros (s.m.III), a star; a star in a constellation; flame, light, fire; (medic.) name of various remedies (after Liddell & Scott)].

        singular         plural                   singular          plural    
Nom.    aster (s.m.III)  asteres          Nom.    Geaster (s.m.III)  Geasteres
Gen.    asteris          asterum          Gen.    Geasteris         Geasterum  
Dat.    asteri           asteribus        Dat.    Geasteri          Geasteribus
Acc.    asterem          asteres          Acc.    Geasterem         Geasteres
Abl.    astere           asteribus        Abl.    Geastere        Geasteribus

NOTE that the –e- before the –r- is retained in all these third declension case inflections, unlike the second declension suffix –aster, q.v., in which the –e- is elided.

- De Astere. [on [the genus[ Aster]. Aster dictus est a floribus stellarum instar radiatis (Ray), 'Aster' is named from the flowers radiate like the stars.

(fungus) Puccinia Asterum Schw., Aster Rust; epithet = gen.pl., a fungus on plants of the genus Aster.

NOTE: the suffix –aster,-eris (s.m.III), abl.sg. -astere: in Gk. comp., ‘star;’ > Gk. astEr: star, “used in star-shaped structures, i.e. indicating rays deployed from a central point, and generic names in biology” such as diaster, karyaster, micraster (after WIII), especially compounds in which the genus name ‘Aster’ is the suffix.

e.g. tylaster,-eris (s.m.III), abl. sg. tylastere: (of radiate sponges) a small spicule of sponges with the ray ends knobbed.

(echinoid) Micraster,-eris (s.m.III), abl.sg. Micrastere: an extinct genus of echinoid fossils which appear to have a rayed or starred ornamentation on one surface.

In Generic Names: -aster,-eris (s.m.III), abl. sg. -astere: -starred, -rayed; (a specified kind of the genus) Aster;

NOTE: it is assumed here that genera compounded with –aster refer to the genus Aster in the Asteraceae, not the suffix –aster,-tri (s.m.II), q.v., meaning ‘incomplete resemblance.’

Aster, gen.sg. Asteris (s.m.III) Linnaeus, from ‘aster,’ a star; the flowers resemble little stars from the rays of their circumference. Asteraceae. (Paxton); "name the Greek aster, a star, from the radiate heads of flowers" (Fernald 1950). English: ‘starwort.’

A. [SUFFIX]

Ampelaster,-eris (s.m.III) carolinianus (Walter) G.L.Nesom (monotypic genus) > Gk. ampelos, vine, “alluding to the habit, + Aster, the generic name” (FNA).

Almutaster,-eris (s.m.III): for Almut G. Jones + genus Aster,-eris (s.m.III). Almutaster,-eris (s.m.III) pauciflorus (Asteraceae).

Aztecaster,-eris (s.m.III) pyramidatus (B.L.Rob. & Greenm.) G.L.Nesom

Bellidiaster [sic] montanus Dumort.

(fungus) Geaster,-eris (s.m.III): orthographic variant of Geastrum,-i (s.n.II); see astrum,-i (s.n.II).

Inulaster macrophyllus Sch.Bip. (Asteraceae).

Virgulaster bernardinus (H.M.Hall) Semple (Asteraceae).

Wardaster,-eris (s.m.III) (Asteraceae); Wardaster lanuginosus J.Small.

Weberaster radulinus (A.Gray) Á.Löve & D.Löve. (Asteraceae = Eurybia radulina).

NOTE: Solidaster,-eris (s.m.III) is a hybrid between Aster and Solidago: × Solidaster; × Solidaster hybridus; × Solidaster luteus.

B. [PREFIX)

NOTE: nouns compounded with ‘astrum’ q.v., have no –e- before the –r-. Nouns compounded with aster, q.v., retain the –e-.

NOTE: prefixes in astro- derive from ‘astrum,-i (s.n.II),’ a star, e.g. Astrosporium,-ii (s.n.II); those in ‘aster-, astero- derive from aster,-eris (s.m.III).

Asteracantha,-ae (s.f.I): from aster, a star, and acantha, a spine. Acanthaceae. (Paxton).

Asterocephalus, Vaillant. from aster, a star + kephale, head; in allusion to the seed. Dipsacaceae (Paxton).