The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests is an ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund. It consists of mesophytic plants west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States.
Eurybia macrophylla, commonly known as the bigleaf aster, large-leaved aster, largeleaf aster or bigleaf wood aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the composite family that was formerly treated in the genus Aster. It is native to eastern North America, with a range extending from eastern and central Canada through the northeastern deciduous and mixed forests of New England and the Great Lakes region and south along the Appalachians as far as the northeastern corner of Georgia, and west as far as Minnesota, Missouri and Arkansas. The flowers appear in the late summer to early fall and show ray florets that are usually either a deep lavender or violet, but sometimes white, and disc florets that are cream-coloured or light yellow, becoming purple as they mature. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid Eurybia × herveyi.
Eurybia divaricata, commonly known as the white wood aster, is an herbaceous plant native to eastern North America. It occurs in the eastern United States, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains, though it is also present in southeastern Canada, but only in about 25 populations in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. In the U.S. it is abundant and common, but in Canada it is considered threatened due to its restricted distribution. It can be found in dry open woods as well as along wood-edges and clearings. The species is distinguished by its flower heads that have yellow centers and white rays that are arranged in flat-topped corymbiform arrays, emerging in the late summer through fall. Other distinguishing characteristics include its serpentine stems and sharply serrated narrow heart-shaped leaves. The white wood aster is sometimes used in cultivation in both North America and Europe due to it being quite tough and for its showy flowers.
Eurybia is a genus of plants in the composite family that were previously included in the genus Aster. Most species are native to North America, although one is also present in northern Eurasia. There are 23 species in the genus, including 1 natural hybrid. The name was first applied by Alexandre de Cassini in 1820. The name is derived from Ancient Greek εὐρύς (eurús), meaning "wide", and βαιός (baiós), meaning "few", perhaps in reference to the small number of relatively wide ray florets.
Eurybia schreberi, commonly called Schreber's aster or nettle-leaved Michaelmas-daisy, is a perennial herb in the composite family. It is native to eastern North America, where it is present in Canada and the United States. The flower heads emerge in the late summer or early fall to show white ray florets and yellow disc florets. It is listed as endangered in Indiana and Iowa, of special concern in Tennessee and possibly extirpated in Maine.
Eurybia avita, commonly called Alexander's rock aster, is a rare North American plant species, a herbaceous perennial in the composite family that was formerly considered part of the genus Aster. It is native to the southeastern United States. It is of conservation concern as it is found in less than 50 sites, typically only in sandy soils near granite flatrocks, and it is most likely already extirpated in North Carolina. Its habitat is threatened by development and the recreational use of the area where it grows. It is very similar to both E. surculosa and E. paludosa and more research needs to be done to determine the exact relationship between the three species.
Eurybia surculosa, commonly known as the creeping aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the composite family that was previously treated in the genus Aster. It is native to the eastern United States where it is found in sandy soils along the coastal plain, though when E. compacta is also present, it exists farther inland in the southern Appalachian Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau. Although the species is not seriously threatened, it is locally endangered in Virginia and Alabama. The flowers, which have bluish violet ray florets and pale yellow disc florets that eventually turn purplish, emerge in summer and persist into the fall.
Eurybia spectabilis, commonly known as the eastern showy aster, simply showy aster or purple wood aster, is an herbaceous perennial native to the eastern United States. It is present along the coastal plain of the U.S. where it is most often found growing in dry, sandy soils. Although it is not considered threatened due to its extensive range, it is locally endangered in many states. The flowers appear in the fall and show ray florets that are a violet-purple and yellow disc florets. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid Eurybia × herveyi.
Eurybia chlorolepis, commonly known as the mountain wood aster, mountain aster, or Appalachian heartleaf aster, is a perennial, herbaceous plant native to the southeastern United States. It is present only at relatively high elevations in the Appalachian mountains. Although it is not considered seriously threatened due to a large number of sites in some of its range, it is often locally endangered and possibly extirpated in the south of its range.
Eurybia sibirica, commonly known as the Siberian aster or arctic aster, is an herbaceous perennial native to north western North America and northern Eurasia. It is found largely in open areas of subarctic boreal forests, though it is also found in a wide variety of habitats in the region. It is similar in appearance to Eurybia merita, but their ranges overlap only near the border between the US and Canada, where E. sibirica is generally found at higher elevations.
Symphyotrichum cordifolium, commonly known as common blue wood aster, blue wood-aster or heartleaf aster, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Asteraceae native to eastern North America.
Eurybia compacta, commonly known as the slender aster, is an herbaceous perennial native to the eastern United States from New Jersey to Georgia. It is commonly found along the coastal plain in dry sandy soils, especially in pinelands. While it is not considered to be in high danger of extinction, it is of conservation concern and has most likely been extirpated from much of its original range. The slender aster was for a long time considered to be a variety of E. surculosa, but Guy Nesom's recent research within the genus has shown that it is distinct enough to be treated as a species. It has also been shown to be related to E. avita and E. paludosa.
Eurybia hemispherica, commonly known as the southern prairie aster, is an herbaceous plant in the composite family (Asteraceae). It is native to the south-central United States, primarily the lower Mississippi Valley and southeastern Great Plains, from Kansas south to Texas and east to Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Its natural habitat is typically in upland prairies or dry savannas. It is less commonly found in open moist areas, in sandy-loamy soil.
Eurybia conspicua, commonly known as the western showy aster, is a North American species of plants in the composite family. It is native to western Canada and the western United States.
Eurybia furcata, commonly called forked aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the composite family. It is native primarily to the Great Lakes region and the Ozark Mountains in the United States. It is uncommon throughout its range, and occurs in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin in the north, south through Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana, and into Missouri and Arkansas. The species is intolerant of shade and is typically found on rocky, north-facing slopes, especially those composed of limestone, dolomite, or sandstone. It can also be found in seeps on bluffs, in moist woods along streams, and occasionally in disturbed sites. It is included in the Center for Plant Conservation's National Collection of Endangered Plants.
Eurybia paludosa, commonly known as the southern swamp aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the aster family. It is native to the southeastern United States where it is confined to the Carolinas and the states of Georgia and Florida. It is generally confined to moist soils, though it can occasionally be found on sand hills along the coastal plain. The southern swamp aster is often confused with the closely related southern prairie aster, though they do not occur in the same habitats or geographical areas. Its flower heads emerge in the late summer through fall and show deep lavender to purple rays with yellow centres.
Eurybia mirabilis, commonly known as the bouquet aster or dwarf aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the aster family. It is endemic to the lower Piedmont of North Carolina and South Carolina in the southeastern United States. Within this small range it is found only infrequently, making it of conservation concern. The species is now largely confined to inaccessible bluffs due to the conversion of other habitats to farmland. It typically grows in deciduous or mixed deciduous woods, as well as on slopes or alluvial plains. Basic to neutral soils are usually preferred. Its flower heads emerge in the late summer to early fall and show white to lavender rays with pale yellow centres sometimes tinged with purple.
Eurybia merita, commonly known as the subalpine aster or arctic aster, is an herbaceous perennial native to northwestern North America, primarily from the Interior Mountains and Plateau system and Rocky Mountains in Canada, stretching south to Utah and extreme northern California. It is found largely in drier, open areas, generally at subalpine levels in mountains, though in more northern areas it is more common at lower elevations. It is similar in appearance to Eurybia sibirica, but their ranges only overlap near the border between the US and Canada, where E. sibirica is generally found at higher elevations than its relative. The flowers emerge in the late summer and display purple to violet ray florets and pale or creamy yellow disc florets.
The Ozark Highlands is a Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in four U.S. states. Most of the region is within Missouri, with a part in Arkansas and small sections in Oklahoma and Kansas. It is the largest subdivision of the region known as the Ozark Mountains, less rugged in comparison to the Boston Mountains in Arkansas, the highest part of the Ozarks.
Vaccinium pallidum is a species of flowering plant in the heath family known by the common names hillside blueberry, Blue Ridge blueberry, late lowbush blueberry, and early lowbush blueberry. It is native to central Canada (Ontario) and the central and eastern United States plus the Ozarks of Missouri, Arkansas, southeastern Kansas and eastern Oklahoma.
