Plant Species of San Jacinto Mountain: Aster alpigenus var. andersonii, alpine aster
Round Valley Meadow, 29 June 2008. Click on picture for larger version.
Young plants of Aster alpigenus are easily mistaken for young plants of Dodecatheon alpinum. See side by side pictures of them to see their differences.
The leaves of Aster alpigenus var. andersonii are linear to linear-elliptic, tapering at each end, definitely 3-5 veined, with a tip that is broadly rounded to obtuse.
The leaves of Dodecatheon alpinum are linear-oblanceolate, obtuse or rounded at apex, and have just a single somewhat-obscure midvein.
In addition, Aster alpigenus has a long thickened conical root, seen in the pix below for plants that were browsed by some animal, whereas Dodecatheon alpinum has a spherical root like a bulb.
Photographs
Click on the thumbnail pictures to get a larger version of any of them.
Flowers
Wellman Cienega, 28 August 2006 | 
Wellman Cienega, 28 August 2006 | 
Wellman Cienega, 28 August 2006 |
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Round Valley Meadow, 29 June 2008 | 
Round Valley Meadow, 29 June 2008 |
Leaves
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, 25 October 2009 | 
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, 25 October 2009 |
Roots (shown after some animal browsed the plants)
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, 25 October 2009 | 
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, 25 October 2009 | 
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, 25 October 2009 | 
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, 25 October 2009 |