Oclemena acuminata

Oclemena acuminata, commonly known as whorled wood aster, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family Asteraceae. It is native to eastern North America. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid known as Blake's aster.

Description

Oclemena acuminata is a perennial, herbaceous plant that propagates via a swollen tuber at the tip of a slender, elongated rhizome. It stands tall with 11–18 leaves clustered at the summit of the stem. Each leaf is wide with prominent teeth and flat margins. It has 5–46 flower heads, each borne on a thin peduncle long. Each flower head has 15 ray flowers, white, and 14–30 disc flowers.
Oclemena acuminata is closely related to Oclemena nemoralis. Hybrid populations can occur wherever the parent species come in contact, that is, at the forest-bog ecotone. The hybrid is known as Blake's aster.

Taxonomy

Oclemena acuminata was first described as Aster acuminatus by the French botanist André Michaux in 1803. The American botanist Edward Lee Greene transferred Aster acuminatus to genus Oclemena in 1903., the botanical name Oclemena acuminata is widely accepted.

Distribution and habitat

Oclemena acuminata is native to eastern North America. Its range extends from Newfoundland in Canada to the U.S. state of Georgia.