Symphyotrichum lucayanum

Symphyotrichum lucayanum (Britton) G. L. Nesom

Common Names: Pineland Aster

Family: Asteraceae

Habit: Symphyotrichum lucayanum is an unbranched woody perennial to 0.5 meters in height. The hirsute, sessile leaves are linear, arranged oppositely, to 8 cm in length, 2 cm in width, with an acute leaf apex, and an entire leaf margin

The flowers are arranged in raceme of heads each subtended an involucre made of 3-4 series of phyllaries. The imperfect flowers have 3 purple fused petals and no stamens. The perfect flowers have a corolla with 5 fused, purple petals.  There are 5 stamens fused at their base. In both types of flowers the ovary is inferior with a single locule but only the imperfect flowers have functional ovules.  The fruit is an achene at maturity that retains the modified calyx (pappus) that is fused forming a shallow cup.

Habitat: Sympyhotrichum lucayanum grows in Pine Woodlands and edges of wetlands.

Distribution: Symphyotrichum lucayanum is a single island endemic known only from Grand Bahamas.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Symphyotrichum lucayanum is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.