Sericocarpus tortifolius
Whitetop Aster
Dixie Aster
Synonym(s): Aster collinsii, Aster bifoliatus
Florida native
A frequent wildflower of sandhills, flatwoods and hammocks throughout most of Florida. The range extends through the southeastern coastal states from Louisiana to North Carolina.
The ray florets are few and white, giving this flower the appearance of having lost some of its petals. The disk florets are yellowish. Plants grow to 1m (3 ft.) tall with leafy hairy stems branching in the upper part of the plant. Leaves are alternate, sessile, have entire margins, and the upper leaves are spatulate shaped. Phyllaries are hairy and white with green tips.
Sericocarpus tortifolius is a member of the Asteraceae - Aster family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Aug 07, 2016