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Symphyotrichum puniceum
In Beaver County, Pennsylvania
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Astereae
Subtribe:	Symphyotrichinae
Genus:	Symphyotrichum
Subgenus:	Symphyotrichum subg. Symphyotrichum
Section:	Symphyotrichum sect. Symphyotrichum
Species:	S. puniceum
Binomial name
Symphyotrichum puniceum (L.) Á.Löve & D.Löve
Varieties
S. puniceum var. puniceum S. puniceum var. scabricaule (Shinners) G.L.Nesom
Native distribution
Synonyms
Basionym Aster puniceus L. Alphabetical list Aster calderi B.Boivin Aster carneus var. ambiguus Torr. & A.Gray Aster conduplicatus E.S.Burgess Aster demissus J.Forbes Aster forwoodii S.Watson Aster puniceus f. albiflorus Ralph Hoffm. Aster puniceus f. albiligulatus Pease & A.H.Moore Aster puniceus f. brachypyllus Lepage Aster puniceus var. calderi Lepage Aster puniceus var. calvus Shinners Aster puniceus f. candidus Fernald Aster puniceus var. colbyi Benke Aster puniceus f. colbyi (Benke) Shinners Aster puniceus var. compactus Fernald Aster puniceus var. crawfordii Porter Aster puniceus f. demissus (Lindl.) Fernald Aster puniceus var. demissus Lindl. Aster puniceus f. etiamalbus Venard Aster puniceus f. glabratus Shinners Aster puniceus var. laevicaulis A.Gray Aster puniceus var. lancifolius Fernald Aster puniceus var. lucidus MacMill. Aster puniceus var. monocephalus Farw. Aster puniceus var. oligocephalus Fernald Aster puniceus var. perlongus Fernald Aster puniceus var. purpureus Pursh Aster puniceus var. rufescens Pursh Aster puniceus f. rufescens Fassett Aster puniceus var. vimineus Torr. & A.Gray Symphyotrichum puniceum var. calderi (B.Boivin) G.L.Nesom Symphyotrichum puniceum f. candidum (Fernald) G.Wilh. & Rericha

Symphyotrichum puniceum (formerly Aster puniceus), is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to eastern North America. It is commonly known as purplestem aster, red-stalk aster, red-stemmed aster, red-stem aster, and swamp aster. It also has been called early purple aster, cocash, swanweed, and meadow scabish.

Its range extends from the edges of the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast, and from the Gulf coast of Texas north to southern Ungava Bay in the north of Quebec. It is adventive in Europe.

Description

Symphyotrichum puniceum produces flowers between August and October. The ray florets range from dark blue or purple to white (rarely). The disc florets are yellow to cream-colored, becoming pink or purple with maturity.

• Stem and leaves
• Involucre showing phyllaries and bracts
• Flower head

Taxonomy

Symphyotrichum puniceum is a variable species, and many forms have been named. As of July 2021, Plants of the World Online (POWO) accepts one variety in addition to the autonym. S. puniceum var. scabricaule occurs in the southern United States from Texas to Alabama. The autonym, S. puniceum var. puniceum, occurs in most of the eastern United States and southern Canada.

The species Symphyotrichum firmum is sometimes considered a variety of S. puniceum, but POWO and Flora of North America treat them as distinct species. In 1999, Calvin College botanists David P. Warners and Daniel C. Laughlin gave evidence that they should be considered two distinct species. Compared to S. firmum, Symphyotrichum puniceum is typically hairier, with purpler flowers, and does not form dense colonies but rather small clusters or scattered individuals.

• Symphyotrichum puniceum on left and S. firmum on right

Hybrids between this species and Symphyotrichum boreale have been recorded and are called Symphyotrichum × longulum.

Conservation

As of July 2021, NatureServe listed Symphyotrichum puniceum as Secure (G5) worldwide and Critically Imperiled (S1) in Mississippi. It listed S. puniceum var. puniceum as Vulnerable (S3) in Kentucky, and S. puniceum var. scabricaule as overall an Imperiled Variety (T2) and Critically Imperiled (S1) in Texas.

Uses

Symphyotrichum puniceum has been used for medicinal purposes among indigenous people in North America. It has been documented that the Chippewa have smoked the root with tobacco to attract game. Multiple uses have been reported for the Woodland Cree, including as an aid for tooth pain and for healing a woman after childbirth. The Iroquois have used the roots for healing of various ailments including colds, fevers, pneumonia, typhoid, and tuberculosis.

Citations

1. ^ NatureServe 2021a.
2. ^ POWO 2019.
3. ^ NRCS 2014.
4. LeGrand, Sorrie & Howard 2021.
5. Bebeau 2015.
6. Chayka & Dziuk 2016.
7. Blanchan 1917, p. 190.
8. ^ Brouillet et al. 2006a.
9. IPNI 2021.
10. Brouillet et al. 2006b.
11. Brouillet et al. 2006c.
12. Warners & Laughlin 1999.
13. Reznicek, Voss & Walters 2011.
14. Brouillet et al. 2006d.
15. NatureServe 2021b.
16. NatureServe 2021c.
17. Densmore 1928.
18. Leighton 1985, 39209.
19. Leighton 1985, 39206.
20. Herrick 1977, 39211.
21. Herrick 1977, 39212.
22. Herrick 1977, 39214.
23. Herrick 1977, 39213.
24. Herrick 1977, 39215.

References

• Bebeau, G.D. (2015). "Red-stemmed Aster & Purplestem Aster (Swamp Aster, Aster Ponceau) Symphyotrichum puniceum (L.) A. Löve & D. Löve var. puniceum". Friends of the Wild Flower Garden (www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org). Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• Blanchan, N. (1917). Wild Flowers Worth Knowing. Boston: IndyPublish.com. Retrieved 15 July 2021 – via Internet Archive (www.archive.org).
• Brouillet, L.; Semple, J.C.; Allen, G.A.; Chambers, K.L.; Sundberg, S.D. (2006a). "Symphyotrichum puniceum". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 20. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 5 July 2021 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
• Brouillet, L.; Semple, J.C.; Allen, G.A.; Chambers, K.L.; Sundberg, S.D. (2006b). "Symphyotrichum puniceum var. scabricaule". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 20. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 15 July 2021 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
• Brouillet, L.; Semple, J.C.; Allen, G.A.; Chambers, K.L.; Sundberg, S.D. (2006c). "Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 20. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 15 July 2021 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
• Brouillet, L.; Semple, J.C.; Allen, G.A.; Chambers, K.L.; Sundberg, S.D. (2006d). "Symphyotrichum boreale". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 20. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 13 September 2021 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
• Chayka, K.; Dziuk, P. (2016). "Symphyotrichum puniceum (Purple-stemmed Aster)". Minnesota Wildflowers. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
• Densmore, F. (1928). Uses of Plants by the Chippewa Indians. p. 376. Retrieved 22 June 2021 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
• Herrick, J.W. (1977). Iroquois Medical Botany (PhD). Albany: State University of New York – via abstract at Native American Ethnobotany DB (naeb.brit.org).
• IPNI (2021). "Aster puniceus search". International Plant Names Index (www.ipni.org). The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• LeGrand, H.; Sorrie, B.; Howard, T. (2021). "Account for Purplestem Aster - Symphyotrichum puniceum (L.) A. Love & D. Love". Vascular Plants of North Carolina. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
• Leighton, A.L. (1985). Wild Plant Use by the Woods Cree (Nihithawak) of East-Central Saskatchewan, Ottawa. National Museums of Canada. p. 31 – via abstract at Native American Ethnobotany DB (naeb.brit.org).
• NatureServe (2 July 2021a). "Symphyotrichum puniceum - Swamp Aster". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• NatureServe (2 July 2021b). "Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum - Swamp Aster". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• NatureServe (2 July 2021c). "Symphyotrichum puniceum var. scabricaule - Rough-stem Aster". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• POWO (2019). "Symphyotrichum puniceum (L.) Á.Löve & D.Löve". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• Reznicek, A.A.; Voss, E.G.; Walters, B.S., eds. (February 2011). "Symphyotrichum puniceum". Michigan Flora Online. University of Michigan Herbarium. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
• NRCS (2014). "Symphyotrichum puniceum". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 7 December 2015.
• Warners, D.P.; Laughlin, D.C. (1999). "Evidence for a species-level distinction of two co-occurring asters: Aster puniceus L. and Aster firmus Nees". Great Lakes Botanist. 38 (2). hdl:2027/spo.0497763.0038.201. ISSN 2573-4172. Retrieved 5 July 2021.

• NatureServe secure species
• Symphyotrichum
• Flora of Canada
• Flora of the United States
• Plants used in traditional Native American medicine
• Plants described in 1753
• Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus