Aster azureus
Lindl. SKY-BLUE ASTER or STARWORT. "Copses and prairies, Niagara Falls (Clinton),
and Ohio to Wisconsin and southward" (Gray's Manual
of Botany, 5th edition p. 231). "Rare. Whirlpool
woods, Niagara R., American side, Clinton," Day (1882). "Near DeVeaux College.
LaSalle (Clinton)," Day (1888). Ontario, Queen Victoria Park, Panton (1890).
Ontario:
Whirlpool, Wm. Scott, Sept. 11, 1897, Heimburger
(1955). "Very rare. Whirlpool woods, crest of
limestone gorge of Niagara River, Niagara Co. (Clinton, Gen. Herb.: also see
House, Annot. List Pl. NY., p.
700)," Zenkert (1934). DeVeaux College woods, Eckel (1986). Crest of
gorge, Whirlpool State
Park and DeVeaux College
woods, Lamere (1991).
New
York: Niagara Falls "at the Whirlpool," Clinton, June 29, 1933; DeVeaux College woods, Eckel 142285 (BUF); Frequent
near bottom of Niagara River Gorge, just upstream from the Whirlpool. Alfred Schotz 544 October 6, 1990 (BUF); Whirlpool State Park
upriver (south), narrow lawn area, ca. 20 individuals growing in an area
bounded by low limestone boulders (unmown) Under Quercus muhlenbergii, Ostrya virgini P. M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 23, 2001 (BUF).
Reported as rare in the
Niagara Frontier Region by Zander and Pierce (1979) and in New York State
by Mitchell (1986). (As Aster
oolentangiensis) This species is on the Rare
Plant Status List of the New York Natural Heritage Program (Clemants,
1989).
*Aster brachyactis Blake. RAYLESS
ASTER. (As A. angustus) Ontario: Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept. 24, 1898;
Sept. 12, 1903; Sept. 17, 1898 (TRT), Heimburger
(1955).
Reported
as a rare introduction in New
York State
by Mitchell (1986).
Aster conspicuus Lindl. ASTER. Ontario: Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept., 1900 (TRT), Heimburger (1955).
Not reported in the flora of
New York State
(Mitchell, 1986), or Ontario
(Morton & Venn, 1990) or the flora of the Niagara Frontier region (Zander and
Pierce, 1979), or the area covered by Fernald (1950). Peck (1961) reports its
range as "Mainly in the yellow pine areas of northeastern Oregon, to British Columbia
and Montana."
Aster cordifolius L. HEART-LEAVED ASTER,
STARWORT. Goat Island, Sept. 19, 1877 (J. D. Hooker's American Journal). "Near DeVeaux College,"
Day (1888). Ontario, Queen Victoria Park, Panton
(1890). Ontario, Niagara
Park System, Cameron
(1895). Ontario: Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept. 17, 1898, Heimburger (1955). "... of
the [Niagara] Parks," Hamilton
(1943). Crest of the Niagara River gorge between Devil's Hole and Whirlpool
Steps, with Quercus rubra,
Qu. alba, Tilia Americana, Carya
glabra, C. ovalis, Eckel
(Nov. 7 2004).
New York:
Ontario: wooded slope just N of Lower Arch RR Bridge, Eckel & Eckel, Oct.
10, 1987 (BUF); crest of the Niagara River gorge, Quercus
rubra, Qu. alba, Carya glabra woods, sparse, Eckel Sept. 23, 1995 (BUF) also in
moist woods, pathside at the base of the gorge, with
Aster oolentangensis, A. sagittifolius,
Eckel Sept. 23, 1995 (BUF); Lewiston
shore of Niagara River, 3 lots N of N boundary of Artpark, steep slope covered with Solida
canadensis, S. graminifolia,
Epilobium parviflorum, Juncus torreyi; sheet seepage
constant P. M. Eckel with R. H. Zander s.n. Sept. 19,
2001 (BUF).
On the New York side, on September 23, 2004 the
author made a walk between Devil's Hole and the DeVeaux
(Whirlpool) steps both along the crest of the gorge and along the path at its
base. This species was seen to be infrequent along the crest Oak-Hickory
woodland, but more frequent along the moist, wooded base (which stays in shade
until the end of morning). The typical form of the species was observed both in
both high and low stations, growing with much more abundant A. sagittifolius and occasional A. oolentangiensis.
In one collection the stems were very coarse, the leaves nearly smooth, the
stems loosely pubescent, the stems were conspicuously flexuose
(zig-zag) almost like Solidago
flexicaulis, a common Goldenrod flowering at this
time. The lower portion of the petioles were strongly
winged but the leaf shape was distinctly that of A. cordifolius
(very deeply cordate). The specimen was probably genenetically linked with A. sagittifolius.
Voss (1996) discusses hybridization between the two species. Gus Yaki's sight record of A. lowrieanus
below was probably such a hybrid. Aster lowrieanus is
also much like A. cordifolius, but with winged
petioles and other characters, putatively hybridizing with A. laevis, but in this case, more likely a cross between A. cordifolius and A. sagittifolius.
Aster divaricatus L. WHITE WOOD ASTER,
STARWORT. (As A. corymbosus) "Goat Island. Lewiston," Day
(1888). Ontario,
Niagara Park System (as A. corymbosus),
Cameron (1895). Queenston, Wm. Scott, Sept. 7, 1898;
Aug. 27, 1898, Heimburger (1955). "... abundant
in the open woods between the Glen and Brock's Monument," Hamilton (1943).
Range: swOnt.
Status: Rare in Canada,
Argus & White (1977). "An Appalachian Plateau and
Highlands species reaching Ontario along the
Niagara escarpment between Hamilton and New York," (Argus
& White, 1983). Not listed as rare in the Niagara region by Zander
and Pierce (1979) or New York
State (Mitchell 1986).
Aster ericoides L. WHITE HEATH ASTER,
STARWORT. "Near DeVeaux College," Day (1888). (As A. multiflorus), "Goat Island," Day (1888). Ontario, Queen Victoria Park (as Aster
multiflorus), Panton (1890). Ontario: Queenston Heights, Wm. Scott, Sept. 20, 1902; Niagara
Falls, Wm. Scott, Oct. 3, 1896, Heimburger (1955).
"... of the Parks," Hamilton (1943). DeVeaux College woods, Eckel (1986).
New York: Deveaux College woods, margin of dense woods. Eckel 1101985 (BUF); gorge,
old train bed below the Lower Arch RR Bridge, Eckel 300385 (BUF); Buckhorn Island, single population base of N. Grand
Island bridge near shore, with Aster novae-angliae
& hybridizing, open, Eckel, Oct. 21, 1997 (BUF); as fo.
exiguous
Fern.. base of gorge of Niagara River between DeVeaux
(Whirlpool) steps and Lower Arch Bridge, dolomite/limestone with shale layers;
odd looking, flowers white, involucral bracts with spinulose tips, coarsely ciliolate-margined, with Aster pilosus, Diplotaxis muralis and other
'invaders,' P.M.Eckel, Sept. 21, 2008 (PME).
Ontario:
moraine just N of Lower Arch Railroad Bridge, Eckel & Eckel, Oct. 10, 1987
(BUF); Paradise Grove natural regeneration area,just
S of village, Fort George S boundary: open Acer
rubrum grass field, Quercus alba moist old woods; NE field, c.A. lanceol; A. laterif.
P. M. Eckel s.n. Oct. 6, 1997 (BUF).
A series of
problematic Asters that key to this species due to the spinulose
tips of the phyllaries may be interpreted as forma exiguus Fern.
Some keys may place these specimens as A.
falcatus, not yet known for the flora of New York State. The leaves of fo. exiguous do not
much resemble those of fo. ericoides
except for the exceptional and characteristically dense cinereous-hirsute to -pilose hairs covering the stems - in my specimens the hairs
not neatly appressed or spreading but rather tangled.
The leaves with bristly-ciliate margins and pustulate-based
hairs on both leaf surfaces, the phyllaries sharing
this characteristic are unlike most other common white Asters in the gorge. The
fo. exiguus has
flower heads 'mostly solitary at the tips of the branches' (Fernald 1950),
completely unlike the 1-sided dense racemes in panicles of fo.
ericoides..
Aster laevis L. SMOOTH ASTER, STARWORT. Goat Island,
Sept. 19, 1877 (J. D. Hooker's American Journal). "Near
DeVeaux
College," Day
(1888). Ontario, Niagara Park
System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Queenston, Wm.
Scott, Sept. 7, 1898; Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Oct. 3, 1896; Queenston Heights, Wm. Scott, Sept. 20, 1902; Roundhouse,
Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept. 17, 1898, Heimburger
(1955). "Common on the old railroad bed that skirts the
Glen," Hamilton
(1943). DeVeaux College
woods, Eckel (1986). Crest of the Niagara River gorge between Devil's Hole and
Whirlpool Steps, with Quercus rubra,
Qu. alba, Tilia Americana, Carya
glabra, C. ovalis, Eckel
(Nov. 7 2004), infrequent here.
New
York: Niagara Gorge, "opposite Whirlpool," Johnson,
Sept. 3, 1921 (BUF); DeVeaux
College woods, Eckel & Zander 182285 (BUF); DeVeaux
College woods, Quercus rubra,
Q. alba Acer saccharum, Hamamelis
virginiana dry wood south (upriver) woods, thin soil
over dolomit with Aster oolentangensis,
P. M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 23, 2001 (BUF); old train bed below the Lower Arch RR
Bridge, shaded stations with Solidago flexicaulis .Eckel 220685 (BUF); woods by Niagara
University property, off Widmer Rd., Eckel 8705218
(BUF); Whirlpool State Park, rim of gorge, With Solidago
juncea, Shepherdia canadensis, Rhus aromatica, R. typhina, Asclepias tuber.
Eckel 8706073 (BUF); Lewiston. Upper railroad path at mouth of Niagara River
and gorge, just S. of Artpark. Calcareous bedrock byt extensive
shale-sandstone strata. Aster ericoides,
A. sagittifolius, A. pilosus
P. M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 23, 2001(BUF); Lewiston. shore of
Niagara River, 3 lots N of N boundary of Artpark,
steep slope covered with Solida canadensis,
S. graminifolia, Epilobium parviflorum, Juncus torreyi; sheet seepage constant. P. M. Eckel with R. H.
Zander s.n. Sept. 19, 2001 (BUF); base of Niagara River gorge below
Whirlpool St. Pk. dirt path edge, wooded, shrubby, with A. laevis,
A. macrophyllus; infrequent, wood edge Tilia americana, Ostrya virginiana. P. M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 29, 2001 (BUF).
Ontario:
Niagara Glen, "open woods," Johnson, Sept. 1, 1918 (BUF); golf
course, near School of Horticulture, Julie, Sept. 6, 1963 (NFO); "Nature Trail" area on rim of
gorge just above and N of the Whirlpool Ravine Beside the Niagara River. Open
path, gravelly forested rim of gorge. P. M. Eckel 909292 Oct. 10, 1987 (BUF); Paradise Grove natural
regeneration area,just S of
village, Fort George S boundary: open Acer rubrum
grass field, Quercus alba moist old woods; NE field, A.ericoid.,A.lanceol. P. M. Eckel s.n. Oct. 6, 1997 (BUF).
Aster lateriflorus (L.) Britt. STARVED ASTER, CALICO ASTER, STARWORT. Goat Island,
Sept. 19, 1877 (J.D. Hooker's American Journal). (As Aster diffusus) "Goat
Island. Near Clifton,
Ontario," Day (1888). (As Aster diffusus) Ontario, Queen
Victoria Park, Panton (1890). (As Aster diffusus)
Ontario, Niagara Park
System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Niagara, Wm. Scott, Aug. 27, 1898, Heimburger
(1955). "... at Dufferin Islands,"
Hamilton
(1943). DeVeaux
College woods, Eckel
(1986).
New
York: Niagara
Falls. E. Chamot Sep. 13[c.1888] (BUF): Deveaux College
woods, Eckel 52285 (BUF); old railroad bed, upper section, Niagara
gorge, with A. ericoides, A. simplex, Solidago Canadensis.
Eckel 190685 (BUF); Goat Island,
Terrapin Point, into spray
zone with seepage. Crest of the HorseshoeFalls.
Eckel 8705220 (BUF); Goat Island. Margin of shady woods, at
entrance to road through woods near 3 Sister Islands. Not abundant in and around woods. With old Brassica colony. Rays white-dsc pink. P.M. Eckel
with M.P. Eckel Oct. 15, 1983 (BUF); Goat Island on the Niagara River, SW
thickets west of Three Sisters; river margin with hort. and native tree and
shrubs; on alvar at water 's edge. Lower
path. P. M. Eckel Oct. 2, 2001(BUF); Buckhorn Island, SW part of park,W
of I90, near path along Niagara River from West River Parkway to Burntship Creek.Grassy road &
A. sagittif., A. novae-angl. Eckel & Zander Oct. 1, 1997 (BUF);
Buckhorn Island, SW part of park, W of I90, near path along Niagara River from
West River Parkway to Burntship Creek, grassy road
& A. sagittifolius, A. novae-angliae, Eckel, Oct. 1, 1997 (BUF).
Ontario: Dufferin Islands on the Niagara River.
Moist river margin. Disc lobes deeply cleft. P. M.
Eckel 9003831 Oct. 9, 1987 (BUF);
Navy Island, central woods area, Quercus rubra, Q. palustris, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa, Eckel, Sept. 21, 1998 (BUF).
Aster lowrieanus
Porter. LOWRIE'S ASTER. Ont.: "Woods above Whirlpool," sight record, Yaki (1970).
Reported
as rare in the Niagara Frontier Region by Zander and Pierce (1979).
Aster macrophyllus L. LARGE-LEAVED ASTER,
STARWORT. "Goat Island.
Near Deveaux College,"
Day (1888). Ontario, Niagara Park
System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Queenston, Wm. Scott, Aug. 20, 1897; Sept. 7, 1898; Niagara, W. J. Potter, 1908, Heimburger
(1955). "... of the Parks," Hamilton (1943). "Dufferin Islands," sight record, Yaki (1970).
New York: base
of Niagara River gorge below Whirlpool St. Pk. dirt path edge, wooded, shrubby,
with A. laevis, A. novae-angliae;
infrequent, wood edge Tilia americana, Ostrya virginiana. P. M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 29, 2001 (BUF).
Ontario:
Niagara Glen, Hamilton, Aug. 3, 1969 (NFO); rocky river's edge, wooded area S
of entrance to Whirlpool Basin, base of gorge, Eckel, Aug. 30, 1987 (BUF); City
of Niagara Falls, 1/2 mile S of Beck Rd. overpass on the QEW, W side; low,
moist secondary woods. P.M. Eckel Oct.1, 1983 (BUF).
Aster novae-angliae L. NEW
ENGLAND ASTER, STARWORT. Goat Island,
Sept. 19, 1877 (J.D. Hooker's American Journal). "Goat
Island and above the Falls on either
side," Day (1888). Ontario, Niagara
Park System (as Aster novae-angliae tradescanti) Cameron (1895). Ontario: Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept. 4, 1898;
Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept.
24, 1898, Heimburger (1955). "...
very plentiful in the meadows and waste land of the Parks," Hamilton (1943). DeVeaux
College woods, Eckel
(1986).
New York: Deveaux College woods, Eckel 162285 (BUF); base of Niagara River gorge below
Whirlpool St. Pk. dirt path edge, wooded, shrubby, with A. laevis, A. macrophyllus; infrequent,
wood edge Tilia americana,
Ostrya virginiana. P.
M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 29, 2001 (BUF); old train bed ,
below the Lower Arch Bridge, upper, disturbed station, with Dipsacus
silvestris, A. ericoides,
A. lateriflorus,
Niagara gorge, Eckel 150685 Sept. 21, 1985 (BUF); Second of the Three
Sisters Islands, weedy margins of the path.
Eckel 8741102 Oct. 21, 1986. (BUF); First Sister, Eckel & Eckel, Oct. 9, 1987 (BUF); Goat Island on the Niagara River. Shrubby slope, upper, on the southwest side of the Island. Abundant, with Aster lateriflorus. P. M. Eckel 881020 Sept. 1, 1987
(BUF); Goat Island,
Terrapin Point, - into spray zone with seepage. Crest of the Horseshoe Falls, with Aster lateriflorus,
Salix interior. Eckel 8705222. Sept. 12, 1986 (BUF); Buckhorn Island, E sector, clump by bank of east
branch of Burntship Creek (also throughout), Eckel,
Oct. 22, 1997 (BUF).
Ontario: City
of Niagara Falls, Victoria Park, Cowells, Oct. 1,
1898 (BUF); moraine just N of Lower Arch Railroad Bridge, Eckel & Eckel,
Oct. 10, 1987 (BUF); Navy Island 43*o3'N, 79*01'W, just south
of Niagara Falls, Quercus rubra, Q. palustris, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa woods. West and S side of the island. Beach. P. M. Eckel s.n.
Sept. 30, 1998 (BUF).
Erie
Co. Tonawanda.Town of Tonawanda,
Niagara Meadow. Frank W. Johnson Sept.20, 1925 (BUF).
Aster ontarionis
Wiegand ONTARIO ASTER. Goat Island, island base,
west side, dolomite talus between the cataracts, high moisture regime. Eckel & Zander, Oct. 4, 1990 (BUF); southwestern thickets,
Eckel Sept. 1, 1987 (BUF).
This taxon
is not reported for the Niagara Frontier region by Zander and Pierce (1979).
This species is on the Rare Plant Status List of the New York Natural Heritage
Program (Young, 1992). "The species is locally common in the wet woods of
eastern Ontario, but rare along streams and in
wet woods in southwestern Ontario,"
(Semple & Heard, 1987). I would like to thank Dr.
Ahmut Jones for verification of this specimen.
[Aster patens Ait.] LATE PURPLE ASTER. "Near DeVeaux College," Day, 1888.
"Niagara gorge, near DeVeaux College,
according to Day (Day, Cat. Niag. Fl.) but no corresponding
specimen found in Gen. Herb.)," Zenkert (1934).
This, as well as the next taxon, is reported as a doubtful element of the Niagara
Frontier flora by Zander and Pierce (1979). It is listed for the New York State flora by Mitchell (1986). In Ontario it is
"reject, ON report not confirmed," (Morton & Venn, 1990).
[var. phlogifolius (Muhl.) Nees.] THIN-LEAVED PURPLE ASTER. "With the typical variety [near DeVeaux College]," Day (1888).
Reported as a doubtful
element of the Niagara Frontier flora by Zander and Pierce (1979).
Aster pilosus
Willd.
var.pilosus HAIRY
ASTER. New York: DeVeaux Woods, Eckel & Eckel,
October 29, 1989 (BUF); Goat Island on the Niagara River, Second
Sister Island, extreme east end, middle of open dolomite pavement, alvar, with Solidago nemoralis. P. M. Eckel Oct. 2, 2001 (BUF); base of the Niagara River gorge,
base of DeVeaux (Whirlpool) steps S to Whirlpool, sparse
but expanding with other weeds as path is open to walkers, P. M. Eckel, Sept.
21, 2008 (BUF).
Ontario:
(var. pilosus) just S of village of
Niagara on the Lake, Fort George S boundary, Niagara Parkway, open Acer rubrum field; with A. sagittifolius,
A. lateriflorus, A. simplex. P. M. Eckel s.n. June 14, 1998(BUF);
(as var. pringlei) Entrance to Adam Beck
Hydro service road: weedy road margin just N of Wintergreen Flats. With Aster simplex. P. M. Eckel 9003833 Oct. 10, 1987
(BUF); (as var. pringlei)
Navy Island 43*o3'N, 79*01'W, just south of Niagara Falls, Quercus
rubra, Q. palustris, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa woods. West and S side of the island. Beach. P. M. Eckel s.n.
Sept. 30, 1998 (BUF).
Reported as rare in the Niagara Frontier
Region by Zander and Pierce (1979) and first reported for the region by Zenkert and Zander in 1975 based on relatively recent
specimens (1946, 1967, 1973). Presently, this is one of the more common of
the white Asters in the Niagara flora. In the
flora of Ontario
by Morton and Venn (1990), the varieties of this species are in synonymy with
Aster pilosus Willd. The variety pringlei
(A. Gray) S. F. Blake, attributed to the shores of the Great Lakes (on
limestone pavements), with stems and leaves glabrous or nearly so, is too easily
confused with the var. demotus in the
Niagara Falls area to separate them (they are distinguished by height). Sempl;e, Heard and Xiang (1996)
have synonymized all three varieties into the general
var. pilosus.
Aster praealtus Poir.
WILLOW
ASTER.
Ontario. Paradise Grove natural
regeneration area,just S of
village, Fort George S boundary: open Acer rubrum
grass field, Quercus alba moist old
woods. Edge, near river rd. to 6 ft. P. M. Eckel s.n. Oct. 6, 1997 (BUF).
Semple,
Heard and Xiang (1996) report this species as occurring only in western Ontario in the Windsor
area in "prairie-like habitats such as oak savannahs." It is rare in Ontario, and threatened
with extirpation. According to the map published by Smeple
and Chmielewski in 1983 (Atlas of the Rare Vascular
Plants of Ontario) this species is only known in Canada
in the Windsor
area. If this specimen is correctly identified, it marks a significant addition
to the known existence of this species in Canada.
Aster prenanthoides
Muhl. CROOKED-STEM ASTER. "Near Clifton,
Ontario," Day (1888). Ontario, Queen Victoria Park, Panton
(1890). "... of
the Parks," Hamilton
(1943).
New York: Niagara
Falls, "in the talus," Clinton [1860-1879's] (BUF).
Range: swOnt. Ontario: Elgin Co. Status: Rare in Canada, Argus
& White (1977). Reported as common and abundant in the
Niagara Frontier region by Zenkert (1934), but
probably exclusive of the Regional Municipality of Niagara, Ontario.
Aster ptarmicoides (Nees) Torr. and Gray. [ = Solidago ptarmicoides (Nees)
Boiv.] UPLAND WHITE ASTER. "Niagara Falls,"
Clinton (1864).
Niagara county. "Near the Whirlpool, 1862. G. W. C." [George W.
Clinton] (Regent. 1865 p. 205). "Rare. Whirlpool
woods, Niagara R., American side," Day (1882). "Near
DeVeaux
College. A species not common in our region, but here rather abundant,"
Day (1888).
New York: Whirlpool Woods
(sic), Niagara Gorge, rocky soil, Johnson No. 1001, Sept. 22, 1924 (BUF);
Whirlpool Wood, top of the bank, Clinton [1860-1870's] (BUF); Whirlpool, gorge
of the Niagara River, wooded slope of high limestone bank, Zenkert,
Sept. 10, 1927 (BUF); Whirlpool State Park, "crest vegetation beyond the
fence toward the drop," Eckel 8706067 (BUF). Ontario: N shore of Whirlpool Basin, [robust
form 3' high], Zander & Eckel, Aug. 30, 1987 (BUF); flat rock projection
into the river, river's edge at entrance to Whirlpool Basin, Eckel, Aug. 30,
1987 (BUF); base of Niagara River gorge, inflorescence varnished, glossy leaf
border, with Asclepias tuberose, Celastrus
scandens, S of Whirlpool, dolomite/limestone with
shale layers, N/S trending gorge, P. M. Eckel, Sept. 21, 2008 (PME).
Reported
as rare in the Niagara Frontier Region and in danger of extirpation through
over-picking or habitat destruction by Zander and Pierce (1979).
Aster puniceus L. PURPLE-STEMMED ASTER,
STARWORT. "Goat Island," Day (1888).
Ontario, Niagara Park
System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott,
Sept. 17, 1898, Heimburger (1955). "... of the Parks," Hamilton
(1943).
New
York: Buckhorn
St. Park, wet shore, Barbara Dintcheff, 12 Sept. 21,
1963 (BUF).
Aster sagittifolius
Willd. ARROW-LEAVED ASTER, STARWORT. "Goat Island. Niagara (Macoun,
on the authority of Dr. Maclagan)," Day (1888).
Ontario, Queen Victoria Park, Panton (1890). Ontario, Niagara Park
System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Queenston Heights,
John Macoun, Sept. 6, 1898; Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott,
Oct. 3, 1896; Sept. 11, 1897; Niagara, W. J. Potter, 1908; R. R. Foster's
Flats, Wm. Scott, Sept. 11, 1897, Heimburger (1955).
"... of the Parks," Hamilton (1943). DeVeaux College woods, Eckel (1986). Crest of the Niagara River gorge between Devil's Hole
and Whirlpool Steps, with Quercus rubra,
Qu. alba, Tilia Americana, Carya
glabra, C. ovalis, Eckel
(Nov. 7 2004), the most abundant species of the genus in the Niagara River
gorge, with Aster cordifolius.
New
York: Niagara Gorge beyond the Whirlpool. Charles A. Zenkert Sept. 10, 1927 (BUF); old train bed, Niagara gorge, "abundant in shade
with
Solidago flexicaulis,
Polymnia canadensis.," Eckel 991985 (BUF); Deveaux College woods, Eckel 122285 (BUF); wooded crest,
Whirlpool State Park, Eckel, Sept. 11, 1987; base of Ongiara
gorge, Eckel, Sept. 11, 1987 (BUF); Buckhorn Island, SW part of park, W of I90,
near path along Niagara River from West River Parkway to Burntship
Creek,. abundant throughout, with A. pilosus, A. novae-angliae,
Eckel, Oct. 1, 1997 (BUF).
Ontario: : woods above Whirlpool Ravine, Eckel
& Eckel, Oct. 10, 1987 (BUF); (Fort Erie) Miller's Creek, opposite
Grand Island, outlet into the Niagara
River. Disturbed, moist area facing the River.
With Epipactis helleborine. P.M.Eckel
c. R. Zander 8703234 Sept. 23, 1986 (BUF); Navy Island, central
woods area, Quercus rubra,
Q. palustris, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa, Eckel,
Sept. 21, 1998 (BUF).
Masses of this
flower can be seen in September in the talus slopes overlooking Artpark in Lewiston, New York, in natural woodlands, also
along the crest of the Niagara River gorge between Devil's Hole State Park and
Whirlpool State Park and upstream both along the crest and along paths at the
gorge base in moist forest stations. Its white flowers contrast with the
blue-purple flowers of Aster novae-angliae, A. oolentangensis and A. cordifolius,
all in bloom at the same time.
Aster simplex Willd. TALL WHITE ASTER, STARWORT. (As A. paniculatus) "Goat Island. Near DeVeaux
College," Day
(1888). Ontario,
Queen Victoria Park (as A. paniculatus Lam.) Panton (1890). Ontario, Niagara Park System (as A. paniculatus)
Cameron (1895). Ontario: Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott,
Sept. 24, 1898, Heimburger (1955). (As A. paniculatus) "... of
the Parks," Hamilton
(1943). Crest of the Niagara River gorge between Devil's Hole and Whirlpool
Steps, with Quercus rubra,
Qu. alba, Tilia Americana, Carya
glabra, C. ovalis, Eckel
(Nov. 7 2004), infrequent here.
New York. Second
of the Three Sisters
Islands in the Niagara
River just S of Goat Island. West
end. P. M. Eckel 881021 Oct. 9, 1987 (BUF); upper train bed, Niagara
gorge, disturbed soils along upper path, with Solidago
canadensis, Artemisia vulgaris.
Eckel & Zander 25485 Sept. 21, 1985 (BUF);
Goat Island, Eckel, Sept. 30, 1988 (BUF); (as A. lanceolatus
) Buckhorn Island, SW part of park, W of I90, near path along Niagara River
from West River Parkway to Burntship Creek, grassy
road, Eckel, Oct. 1, 1997 (BUF).
Ontario: (as Aster paniculatus
Lam.) City of Niagara Falls, Victoria Park, Oct. 1, 1898 (BUF).
Erie
Co., City of Buffalo. Moist
alluvial soil, along Niagara River. Frank W. Johnson 999 Sept. 22, 1923 (BUF).
A specimen from Goat
Island (Eckel, Sept. 1, 1987, BUF) conforms to the discription of var. interior (Wieg.)
Cron.
in its tiny involucres. Its range begins in western New York and extends
westward, according to Gleason and Cronquist (1963).
The Aster tradescantii L. TRADESCANT'S
ASTER for Goat Island of Sept. 19, 1877 (J. D.
Hooker's American Journal) is here placed with Aster simplex var.
interior following Britton and Brown (1952). The following reports may
perhaps be placed here as well.
Aster tradescantii L.
TRADESCANT'S ASTER. "Goat Island,"
Day (1888). Ont.:"... on cultivated
ground at the School for Apprentice Gardeners," Hamilton (1943).
[New
York?] "Niagara Falls" Collector unknown.
Sept. 25, 1880 (BUF).
Morton and Venn
(1990) cite this species in Ontario
as "reject - ON reports = A. lateriflorus.
(Aster tradescantii var. thyrsoides = A. ontarionis
(Argus & White 1977): rare in Ontario.
Goat Island (Day, Cat. Niag. Fl.) "Wiegand
and Eames (Flora of Cayuga Lake Basin) state that they have been unsuccessful
in their attempt to separate the smaller-headed forms of A. tradescanti from the larger-headed forms of A.
paniculatus, the intermediate forms being as
numerous as the extremes. On the other hand, House and
Alexander (Fl. of Alleg. St. Pk.) report A. tradescanti
as common, the latter being usually distinguished from A. paniculatus "by its much smaller flowers and
more lax inflorescence." Zenkert (1934).
Aster umbellatus Mill. FLATTOP ASTER. "Goat Island. Near Clifton, Ontario,"
Day (1888). Ontario, Niagara Park
System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept. 17, 1898; Queenston, Wm. Scott, Aug. 20, 1898; Niagara Falls, W. C. McCalla,
Aug. 21, 1896, Heimburger (1955). "Goat Island," Zenkert
(1934). "... of the Parks," Hamilton (1943). ). Ont.: "Whirlpool," sight record, Yaki (1970).
Ontario. Gorge of the Niagara River, north shore Whirlpool Basin. 3' high, flowers white. (A. umb. annot.
Ian Macdonald) P. M. Eckel 880134 Aug. 30, 1987 (BUF).
Aster undulatus Mill. WAVEY-LEAVED ASTER. Goat Island,
Sept. 19, 1877 (J.D. Hooker's American Journal). Ontario,
Niagara Park System, Cameron (1895). Ontario, Queen Victoria Park, Panton
(1890). "... of
the Parks," Hamilton
(1943).
Reported
as rare in the Niagara Frontier Region by Zander and Pierce (1979) which has a
range of sOnt, swNS. It is not rare in New York State
(Mitchell 1986). Status: Rare in Canada. Rare in Minnesota, Argus &
White (1977). The station in Ontario
is "Based on a single specimen from Silver Hill, Norfolk Co." of
1950-1964 where "a labelling error is strongly
suspected," (Argus & White, 1983).
[Aster vimineus Lam.] "Near Clifton,
Ontario," Day (1888). Ontario, Queen Victoria Park, Panton
(1890).
Range: swOnt.
Status: Rare in Canada
(Argus & White (1977) and New
York State
(Mitchell, 1986). Not listed for the
Niagara Frontier flora by Zenkert in 1934 and
excluded from the Niagara Frontier Region by Zander and Pierce (1979). Morton
and Venn (1990) for Ontario
equate this name with
the common Aster lateriflorus.
Mitchell (1986) reported that "the type specimen is apparently a garden
hybrid, so this binomial [vimineus] will not
stand for our native plants." It is listed on the Rare Plant Status List
of the New York Natural Heritage Program (Young, 1992).
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