Eurybia divaricata

(L.) Nesom

White Wood-aster

G5Secure Found in 41 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.159064
Element CodePDASTEB0Q0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusEurybia
Synonyms
Aster divaricatusL.
Other Common Names
Aster à rameaux étalés (FR) Aster divariqué (FR) white wood aster (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Taxonomic Comments
Eurybia divaricata is synonymous with Aster divaricatus in the sense of Linnaeus, not sensu (Nutt.) Torrey & Gray.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-05-28
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2024-05-28
Edition AuthorsGeoffrey Hall (1998), rev. C. Nordman (2024).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata) occurs in eastern North America in the Appalachian region, in the United States from Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee to southern Maine and in Canada in southern Ontario and Quebec. Threats to White Wood-aster include loss of habitat due to residential development and competition from invasive exotic plants. It is estimated that there are more than 300 (nearly 3000) occurrences rangewide, including on various National Forests, National Parks, State Forests, State Parks and other conservation lands in the eastern United States.
Range Extent Comments
White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata) occurs in eastern North America in the Appalachian region, in the United States from Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee to southern Maine and in Canada in southern Ontario and Quebec. Range extent was estimated to be 1.1 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2006, GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 300 (nearly 3000) occurrences of White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata) rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to White Wood-aster include loss of habitat due to residential development and competition from invasive exotic plants.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata) occurs in mesic to dry, eastern deciduous and mixed deciduous forests and woodlands, along edges, in clearings, and along roadsides, at elevations of 0–1200 meters, sometimes to 1700 meters (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2006, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - MixedForest EdgeWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New HampshireSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
VermontS5Yes
New JerseyS5Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
MaineS3Yes
South CarolinaS4Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
DelawareS4Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS3Yes
QuebecS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (41)
Georgia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Helton CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,348
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
New Hampshire (2)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
North Carolina (9)
AreaForestAcres
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Wesser BaldNantahala National Forest4,061
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Tennessee (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Vermont (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Virginia (9)
AreaForestAcres
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
References (5)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 666 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  5. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.