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Ionactis linariifolia

Greene

Flaxleaf Aster

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157351
Element CodePDASTE4020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusIonactis
Synonyms
Aster linariifoliusL.Ionactis linariifolius(L.) Greene
Other Common Names
Aster à feuilles de linaire (FR) Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (EN) flaxleaf whitetop aster (EN) Stiff Aster (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (vol. 20) spells it Ionactis linariifolia.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-06-18
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2024-06-18
Edition AuthorsJean Gagnon (1996), rev. Soteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Ionactis linariifolia is a wide-ranging perennial herb in a variety of open habitats occurring in eastern North America from Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada and Wisconsin in the United States south to Florida and Texas. Considerable variation in this species warrants additional research. Threats include invasive species, lack of fire leading to succession, recreation, and likely other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Ionactis linariifolia occurs in eastern North America from Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada and Wisconsin in the United States south to Florida and Texas (FNA 2006). Range extent was estimated to be over 2.8 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by invasive species, lack of fire leading to succession, recreation, and likely other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Ionactis linariifolia grows in sandy habitats, often seeps or other moist sites, commonly in longleaf pine communities along Gulf Coast, dry pine savannas, pine flatwoods, or inland sites of rocky hills, ridges, bluffs, sometimes in clay, in oak pine woods, woodland edges, sandy cracks and ledges of acid rocks in stream falls or rapids, open jackpine stands on sand, prairie-like openings, glades, and barrens, high elevation rock outcrops and glades, dry roadbanks (FNA 2006, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceousBarrensBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS2Yes
New BrunswickS3Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
GeorgiaSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
FloridaSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
DelawareS2Yes
OklahomaS1Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
New YorkS4Yes
KansasS1Yes
New JerseyS5Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
VirginiaS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
IowaS1Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
VermontS4Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (11)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sarah's CreekChattahoochee National Forest6,888
Oklahoma (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beech CreekOuachita National Forest8,303
Virginia (7)
AreaForestAcres
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Hoop HoleJefferson National Forest4,652
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Price MountainJefferson National Forest9,119
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
References (7)
  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. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  7. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.