ASTERACEAE

Symphyotrichum drummondii var. texanum

Common Name:  Texas Aster

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heads in Fall heads again--what kind of flowers are present here?  Ray flowers, disk flowers, or both?

involucral bracts underneath the head--in the Asteraceae, these bracts are called phyllaries head closeup--often, there is just a hint of purple in the ray corollas of Symphyotrichum drummondii

older head--after the disk flowers are pollinated, the disk corollas turn purplish basal leaves--what leaf shape and margin are present?
lower stem leaves in Fall--by Fall, various insects have usually chewed up the bigger leaves of Symphyotrichum drummondii! upper stem leaves--these leaves are much smaller than the leaves nearer the ground!  This dichotomy in leaf size is frequently encountered in the Asteraceae.