Table 2.
Comparative botanical characteristics of the two Aster species.
| S.no | Parameters | Aster flaccidus | Aster diplostephioides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plant height | Erect perennial, 3−30 (−40) cm tall | Perennial, 13−57 cm tall |
| Rhizome | Long and slender | Robust and branched | |
| 2 | Stem types | Stems 5−15 cm, erect, simple, whitish pubescent and sometimes glandular, white villous, more densely upward, sparsely to densely minutely stipitate-glandular | 15−40 cm, erect, simple, sparsely to moderately villous, sparsely to densely minutely stipitate-glandular and pubescent above, or sometimes scapiform |
| 3 | Leaf types | Basal leaves spathulate or oblanceolate, 1.7–6.5 × 0.8–1.5 cm, acute or obtuse, base attenuate to acute and shortly petiolate, pubescent on both surfaces; cauline leaves sessile, oblong, or oblong-lanceolate,1.5–9 × 0.2–1.5 cm, sparse to moderate villous and minutely stipitate-glandular characters, margin entire or slightly serrate, ciliate, 3-veined | Basal leaves lanceolate or oblanceolate, 6–13 × 1.3–2 cm, acute, attenuate at base, entire, sometimes denticulate, glandular, or lightly pubescent; cauline leaves oblong or linear 1.3–15 × 0.8–2.3 (−4) cm, sparse to moderate villous, and minutely stipitate-glandular, margin slightly serrate to serrulate or entire, midvein prominent |
| 4 | Petiole length | Short or long (up to 7 cm) | Narrowly winged (up to 10 cm) |
| Capitulum | Terminal, solitary, 3.5–5 cm in diameter | Terminal, solitary, 6–9 cm in diameter | |
| Involucre | Hemispheric, 1.2–1.7 cm diameter, 2−3 seriate | Hemispheric, 1.7–2.2 cm diameter, ±2 seriate | |
| 5 | Phyllaries | Lanceolate, 0.7–1.3 × 0.1–0.2 cm, abaxially basally densely white lanate to sparsely white villous, minutely stipitate-glandular, margin scarious, sometimes purple-tinged, ciliate, membranous, multiveined, apex acuminate, often densely villous | Linear-lanceolate, 0.9–1.6 cm in length and 0.1–0.15 cm in width, apex acuminate, abaxial surface is lightly or moderately villous, blackish glandular with white hair at the base, margin scarious, with multiple veins |
| 6 | Ray florets | 31–67 flower, corolla tube 0.1–0.2 cm, mauve or blue, lamina linear-lanceolate, 0.9–2.5 × 0.1–0.25 cm, abaxial hairy or glabrous, and glandular | 45–93 flower, corolla tube 0.15 cm, mauve to purple or lilac-blue, lamina linear, 0.18–0.25 × 0.1–0.2 cm, glabrous, and glandular |
| 7 | Disk floret | Orange to yellow, 0.045–0.07 cm, limb funnelform, 0.35–0.5 cm, proximally lightly pubescent, lobes erect, triangular, 0.07–0.15 mm | Corolla is orange to yellow, 0.5–0.6 cm, apex blackish or brownish purple, tube, proximal limb pubescent and funnelform, 0.35–0.4 cm, lobes erect and triangular, ca. 0.1 cm |
| 8 | Achenes | Brownish, narrowly obovoid, 0.25–0.35 cm, sparsely strigillose, sparsely to moderately pubescent, rarely glabrous, glandular, 2-ribbed, ribs pronounced | Achenes obovoid, 0.3–0.35 × 0.1–0.15 cm, glandular and whitish pubescent, 4–6 ribbed |
| 9 | Pappus | Double, whitish, inner series 7 mm, outer series 2 mm, subpaleaceous | Double, whitish, inner series 5 mm, outer series 1–1.5 mm, subpaleaceous |
| 10 | Inflorescence type | Capitulum solitary | Capitulum solitary |