Symphyotrichum

Annual or perennial, rosette to erect branching herbs. Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, entire to serrate. Inflorescence of solitary capitula or a raceme, corymb or panicle; capitula pedunculate, cylindric or campanulate to hemispherical; involucral bracts in 3–several series, herbaceous; receptacle flat to convex; outer florets female, in 1–few series, ligules usually prominent (only shortly exceeding involucre in Symphyotrichum subulatus), rarely absent, white, pink, blue or purple; inner florets tubular, bisexual, 5-lobed; anthers with narrow-triangular apical appendages; style branches narrow-linear with lanceolate appendages. Cypselas c. oblong, usually compressed, glabrous, strigose, eglandular or glandular; pappus of barbellate hairs in 1–3 rows.