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Oclemena acuminata (Michx.) Greene

Whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderAsteralesFlowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies
FamilyAsteraceaeThe aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers
GenusOclemena
SpeciesacuminataHaving a long tapering point

About plant names...

Whorled aster is a North American native plant.

Plants: Plants are 12-31″ (30-80 cm) high, found in wooded areas.

Leaves: Oval, coarsely toothed, pointed leaves form a whorl around the stem. Okay, they seem to be whorled: in fact, they are alternate and only look whorled when viewed from above. The arrangement of leaves, resembling a pinwheel, collects limited forest floor light more efficiently.

Flowers: Flowers form a roughly spherical cluster at the top, of flowers that are ⅞-1½″ (2.5-4 cm) in diameter. Each "flower" is a composite flower, composed of disheveled-looking white ray flowers surrounding a central disc that is yellow or purplish in color. Ray flowers are bent backward, not straight as in most other aster family flowers, and composed of about 15 (9-18) rays. They appear Jul-Oct.

Fruits: Achenes are ⅛″ (3 mm) × 1/32″ (0.5 mm), and have many glands.

Online References:

The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

Discover Life

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Ontario Wildflowers

The Evergreen Native Plant Database

CalPhotos

EFloras

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/15/2010 · Red Dot Trail, Long Lake Park, Littleton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

10/19/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

10/7/2012 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/27/2010 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/16/2012 · Mt. Tom State Reservation, Beau Bridge Trail, Holyoke, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/27/2010 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/18/2016 · Barred Island Preserve, Deer Isle, Maine

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/24/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

Aster acuminatus Michx.

Aster acuminatus Michx. var. magdalenensis Fernald

 

Oclemena acuminata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 7 Sep 2023.

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Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/9/2010 · Pine Meadow Conservation Trust Land, Groton Harvard Road, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

10/19/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/27/2010 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/11/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashburnham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3½ × 2½″ (9.3 × 6.2 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/20/2013 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/16/2020 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/4/2023 · Thorne Head Preserve, Bath, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.7 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/20/2013 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/18/2016 · Barred Island Preserve, Deer Isle, Maine

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

7/30/2010 · Willard Brook State Forest, Blue Trail, Ashby & Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Oclemena acuminata (whorled wood aster, mountain aster, sharp-leaved aster)

8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Range:

About this map...