Willowleaf aster (Symphyotrichum praealtum) COSEWIC status assessment and status report chapter 5
Habitat
Over its North American range this aster is found in thickets, meadows and prairies, as well as in oak savannahs as found in the Windsor area and on Walpole Island (see habitat photos, Figures 4 and figure5). In Ontario it is also reported as found along railways, roadsides and old abandoned fields (pers. comm. Mike Oldham, Ontario NHIC, Peterborough, and Paul Pratt, Naturalist, Windsor Department of Parks and Recreation; July 2002). Although now found in a variety of open disturbed sites, its typical prairie habitats have been historically reduced and impacted through human disturbance.
Figure 4. Habitat of willowleaf aster population at City of Windsor- site 3.
Figure 5. Habitat of population willowleaf aster at City of Windsor– site 8.
Protection/Ownership
Some populations, such as those in the prairie complexes within Windsor are on land owned by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources or the City of Windsor. Four sites are considered as Environmentally Significant areas within the province: Ojibway Prairie Complex; Locality 1, Table 1; Windsor – sites 7 & 8; Locality 8 (Table 1) (pers. comm. from Dan Lebedyk, Conservation Biologist, Essex Region Conservation Authority; Aug. 2002). Most populations are on private property.
| Location | Collection Site | Date | Collector or observer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Essex County | Colchester South Township | 18 Sep. 1976 | W. Botham 1930 (CAN 499313) | Open field in association with Solidago canadensis and Aster ericoides |
| 1) Essex County | Near Arner | 27 Sep. 1984 | G.M. Allen 1460 (TRTE) | Open field in association with Solidago canadensis and Aster ericoides |
| 2) Essex County | Windsor – Site 1 | 5 Oct. 1979 | Wilfred Botham 2237 (DAO 269314) | |
| 3) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 2 | 1 Oct. 1997 | J.C. Semple and J. Zhang v.v. | Many clones in bloom along roadside, on the bank of drainage ditch |
| 3) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 3 [likely a sub-population of the above] | 14 Sep. and 1 Oct. 1997 | J.C. Semple & J. Zhang v.v., picture taken | Along trail, 4 clones found, at the early stage of blooming |
| 4) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 4 | 21 Sep. 1994 | M.J. Oldham 16851 (WAT, NHIC) | Uncommon; flowering. |
| 5) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 5 | 27 Oct. 1993 | M.J. Oldham 15954 (DAO) | ca. 50 plants in shrubby area near railway; flowering. |
| 5) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 6 | 27 Oct. 1993 | M.J. Oldham 15957 (WAT, NHIC) | Single low bushy plant in disturbed ground near railway; flowering. |
| 6) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 7 | 22 Sep. 1992 | M.J. Oldham & A.A. Reznicek 14426 (WAT, NHIC) | Sandy prairie, locally common; flowering |
| 6) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 8 | 21 Sep. 1994 | M.J. Oldham 16824 (DAO 687565) | Prairie; open areas beneath hydro corridor; flowering, locally common |
| 7) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 9 | 24 Sep. 1982 | J.C. Semple et al. 6792 (DAO 486683, WAT) | Many clones scattered within the open woods, or along the edge of woods, roadside, in bloom (picture taken). |
| 7) Essex County | City of Windsor – Site 10 | 1 Oct. 1997 | J.C. Semple & J. Zhang v.v. | Many clones scattered within the open woods, or along the edge of woods, roadside, in bloom (picture taken). |
| 8) Essex County Windsor area | Sandwich West Township | 28 Oct. 1991 | [SOURCE?] | Woodlot, no collector and collection information. |
| 9) Municipality of Chatham-Kent | Orford Township | 26 Sep. 1991 | M.J. Oldham & G. Payton 13498 (WAT, NHIC) | Open meadow between railway tracks; common, flowering. |
| 10) Lambton County | Walpole Island | 24 Sep. 1982 | J.C. Semple et al. 6795 (DAO 486688, WAT) | Oak savannah |
| 10) Lambton County | Indian Reserve | 22 Oct. 1986 | G.M. Allen et al. 2823 (TRTE) | Edge of mesic prairie |
| 11) Middlesex County | Caradoc Township | 2 Sep. 1992 | M.J. Oldham 14320 (WAT, NHIC) | Roadside, rare; flowering |
| 12) Perth County | Ellice Township | 2 Oct. 1983 | J. Chmielewski 1861 (WAT) |
In addition to information provided in Table 1, the following new population was also located:
- Lambton County Walpole Island, one population found, in bloom, near a residential house.
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