Wavyleaf Aster, Wavy-leaved Aster
Symphyotrichum undulatum (L.) Nesom is native to dry or well-drained, loamy or rocky soils, open decidous woods, borders, clearings, dry hammocks, sandhills, and open-wooded bluffs underlain by sandstone or limestone occurring from Nova Scotia to southern Illinois south to Florida and Louisiana (Brouillet et al. 2006; ). Stem leaves are winged-petiolate, the wings wider toward the base and leaves ± sessile, the wings abruptly widening at the strongly auriculate-clasping petiolar bases of lower stem leaves; rays usually blue to purple, sometimes lilac. The species is mostly tetraploid (2n=32) with limited reports of diploids (2n=16).
Symphyotrichum undulatum is of conservation concern in Illinois and Nova Scotia. The report for the species occurring in Ontario has been questioned (Semple et al. 2002).
Last revised 13 May 2025 by J.C. Semple
© 2025 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated
1-5. Symphyotrichum undulatum. 1-2. Small short and lower stem leaf, Semple & Chmielewski 6167, Pickens Co., South Carolina. 3. Stem leaves, Semple 11582, North Carolina. 4. Flowering heads, Semple & Chmielewski 5922, Nelson Co., Virginia.
Semple, J.C., S.B. Heard and L. Brouillet. 2002. Cultivated and native asters of Ontario (Compositae: Astereae): Aster L. (including Asteromoea Blume, Diplactis Raf. and Kalimeris (Cass.) Cass.), Callistephus Cass., Galatella Cass., Doellingeria Nees, Oclemena E.L. Greene, Eurybia (Cass.) S.F. Gray, Canadanthus Nesom, and Symphyotrichum Nees (including Virgulus Raf.). U.À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Biology Series 41: 1-134.
Brouillet, L., J.C. Semple, G.A. Allen, K. Chambers and S. Sundburg. 2006.  Symphyotrichum Nees. pp. 465-539. In Flora North America Editorial Committee, eds. Flora of North America. Vol. 20. Asteraceae, Part 2. Astereae and Senecioneae. Oxford University Press, New York.