Symphyotrichum undulatum (formerly Aster undulatus) is a species of flowering plant in the familyAsteraceaenative to eastern North America. Commonly known as wavyleaf aster,[3] it is a perennial, herbaceous plant that flowers August through October and may reach heights between 30 and 160 centimeters (1 and 5 feet).
Description
Symphyotrichum undulatum is a perennial, herbaceous plant that flowers from August through October, growing to heights between 30 and 160 centimeters (1 and 5 feet) from a cespitose rootstock. The roots can have short rhizomes or branched and woody caudices.[3]
Its flowers have blue to purple, or sometimes lilac, ray florets and cream or light yellow, then purple, disk florets.[3]
Fruit
The fruits (seeds) of Symphyotrichum undulatum are not true achenes but are cypselae, resembling an achene but surrounded by a calyx sheath. This is true for all members of the Asteraceae family.[4] After pollination, they become
dull purple to light brown or tan with an oblong-obovoid compressed shape, 1.7–2.2 mm[a] in length with 3–4 nerves, and with a few stiff, slender bristles on the surface (strigillose). They also have tufts of hairs (pappi) which are cream or rose-tinged and 3.5–5 mm in length.[3]
Chromosomes
The species has a monoploid number (also called base number) of eight chromosomes(x = 8). Individual plants with 16 and 32 sets of its chromosomes have been found, meaning the species is diploid and tetraploid.[3]