''Symphyotrichum depauperatum'' (formerly ''Aster depauperatus''), commonly known as serpentine aster or starved aster, is a rare species in the family Asteraceae adapted to

serpentine barrens Serpentine soil is an uncommon soil type produced by weathered ultramafic rock such as peridotite and its metamorphic derivatives such as serpentinite. More precisely, serpentine soil contains minerals of the serpentine subgroup, especially anti ...

, an ecosystem with a high concentration of toxic metals in the soil. It has been found in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and on some

diabase Diabase (), also called dolerite () or microgabbro, is a mafic, holocrystalline, subvolcanic rock equivalent to volcanic basalt or plutonic gabbro. Diabase dikes and sills are typically shallow intrusive bodies and often exhibit fine-graine ...

glades in North Carolina. It grows to and has white ray florets surrounding a center of yellow disk florets.

Description

''Symphyotrichum depauperatum'' is a perennial, herbaceous plant that may reach up to tall, with 1–3 stems. The leaves are narrow and generally long. The plant produces numerous flower heads in branched arrays, each head with 7–14 white or, rarely, pink ray florets surrounding 7–17 yellow disk florets. File:Symphyotrichum depauperatum 50071438.jpg, A plant in flower File:Symphyotrichum depauperatum 67278234.jpg, Flowers File:Symphyotrichum depauperatum 619554.jpg, Growth habit

Taxonomy

Within the genus ''Symphyotrichum'', ''S. depauperatum'' has been classified in subgenus ''Symphyotrichum'' Its full name with author citation is ''Symphyotrichum depauperatum'' . It was first described by American botanist Merritt Lyndon Fernald in 1908 as ''Aster depauperatus''.

Distribution and habitat

''S. depauperatum'' is adapted to

, an ecosystem with a high concentration of toxic metals in the soil. It has been found in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

and

Cecil Cecil may refer to: People with the name * Cecil (given name), a given name (including a list of people and fictional characters with the name) * Cecil (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Canada *Cecil, Alberta, ...

Counties, Maryland; Granville County, North Carolina; and,

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

, Delaware, and Lancaster Counties, Pennsylvania. Serpentine aster has been called a " flagship species" of the unique serpentine ecosystem and was once thought to be endemic to these barrens, but it also has been found to occur in a disjoint population on

glades in Granville County, North Carolina.

Conservation

''Symphyotrichum depauperatum'' is classified by the state of Pennsylvania as a threatened species because its range is restricted to a few limited areas, and the majority of its populations occur on sites threatened by quarrying, housing development, and industrial development. , NatureServe listed it as Globally Imperiled (G2); Critically Imperiled (S1) in Maryland and North Carolina; and, Imperiled (S2) in Pennsylvania. NatureServe's most recent review of ''S. depauperatum''s global status was 3 October 1997.

Citations

References

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External links

Information about ''Symphyotrichum depauperatum'' also can be seen at the following pages:
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center (''wildflower.org'')

University of Waterloo ''Astereae Lab''

''Vascular Plants of North Carolina''

''Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program''

''Maryland Biodiversity Project''

as Pennsylvania Threatened in the ''Pennsylvania Code'' {{Taxonbar, from1=Q782731, from2=Q38782076 depauperatum Threatened flora of the United States Endemic flora of the United States Flora of the Eastern United States Plants described in 1884 Taxa named by Merritt Lyndon Fernald