Eurybia radula
Encyclopedia
Eurybia radula, commonly known as the low rough aster or rough wood aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the aster family
. It is native to eastern North America
where it is present from Newfoundland and Labrador
in the far northeast of Canada
, west to Ontario
and south to Kentucky
and Virginia
in the United States
. The low rough aster is also present on the French overseas territory of St. Pierre and Miquelon just south of Newfoundland. It typically grows in wet soils in a wide variety of habitats from bog
s and fen
s to creek shores to ditches. Although it is not considered threatened over most of its distribution, it is imperiled or possibly extirpated over much of its range in the United States. Its flower heads emerge in the late summer to early fall and show pale blue-violet rays with yellow centres.
and northern Nova Scotia
. It differs in being more slender and having only 1 to 8 heads, which is probably a response to the harsh climate. However, it is not commonly recognised due to the range of intermediates that exist from north to south and currently no combination (i.e. with var. strictus) currently exists in Eurybia
.
The common name rough aster probably stems from a misreading of the Latin
specific name radula, which actually means scraper. The word for rough is radulans, which is quite similar.
east of and including Ontario
and is also present on the French territory
of St. Pierre and Miquelon. Its northwestern limit is in the northeast of Ontario at the south of James Bay
where it is rarely found. In the United States
it can be found in every state from Maine
south to Kentucky and Virginia, though it is not present in Ohio
and westward. The species is considered endangered by the states of Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.
The low rough aster grows in wet soils in a fairly wide variety of habitat. These include very wet locations with widely differing pH
values such as in fens and sphagnum
bogs. In addition it can be found on the shores of lakes and creeks, in wet meadows and in ditches. While the plant does not tolerate deep shade, it can be found in open boggy woods as well as along the edges and at the openings of wet spruce
and tamarack larch
forests. It can be found at elevations varying from sea level to more than 600 metres.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
. It is native to eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
where it is present from Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
in the far northeast of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, west to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and south to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The low rough aster is also present on the French overseas territory of St. Pierre and Miquelon just south of Newfoundland. It typically grows in wet soils in a wide variety of habitats from bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s and fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
s to creek shores to ditches. Although it is not considered threatened over most of its distribution, it is imperiled or possibly extirpated over much of its range in the United States. Its flower heads emerge in the late summer to early fall and show pale blue-violet rays with yellow centres.
Taxonomy
One formerly recognised variety, namely Aster radula var. strictus (Pursh) A. Gray, is present in the northern part of its range including Newfoundland and Labrador, northern QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and northern Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. It differs in being more slender and having only 1 to 8 heads, which is probably a response to the harsh climate. However, it is not commonly recognised due to the range of intermediates that exist from north to south and currently no combination (i.e. with var. strictus) currently exists in Eurybia
Eurybia (botanical genus)
Eurybia is a genus of plants in the composite family that were previously included in the genus Aster. All species are native to North America, though some are also present in northern Eurasia. There are 23 species in the genus including 1 hybrid. The name was first applied by Alexandre de Cassini...
.
The common name rough aster probably stems from a misreading of the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
specific name radula, which actually means scraper. The word for rough is radulans, which is quite similar.
Distribution and habitat
Eurybia radula is present in every province of CanadaProvinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
east of and including Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and is also present on the French territory
Overseas departments and territories of France
The French Overseas Departments and Territories consist broadly of French-administered territories outside of the European continent. These territories have varying legal status and different levels of autonomy, although all have representation in the Parliament of France , and consequently the...
of St. Pierre and Miquelon. Its northwestern limit is in the northeast of Ontario at the south of James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
where it is rarely found. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
it can be found in every state from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
south to Kentucky and Virginia, though it is not present in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and westward. The species is considered endangered by the states of Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.
The low rough aster grows in wet soils in a fairly wide variety of habitat. These include very wet locations with widely differing pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
values such as in fens and sphagnum
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
bogs. In addition it can be found on the shores of lakes and creeks, in wet meadows and in ditches. While the plant does not tolerate deep shade, it can be found in open boggy woods as well as along the edges and at the openings of wet spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
and tamarack larch
Tamarack Larch
Tamarack Larch, or Tamarack, or Hackmatack, or American Larch is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and also south into the northeastern United States from Minnesota to Cranesville Swamp, West Virginia; there is also a...
forests. It can be found at elevations varying from sea level to more than 600 metres.