Klickitat Aster

Eucephalus glaucescens is known from the vicinity of Mt. Adams in Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima counties. Intermediates with E. ledophyllus have been reported.

Perennials, 40–160 cm (with caudices; herbage glabrous, ± glaucous). Stems erect, glabrous. Leaves: mid and distal blades linear to narrowly lance-elliptic, 4–10 cm × 4–16 mm. Heads 5–20(–60) in racemiform to paniculiform arrays. Peduncles glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular. Involucres turbinate to campanulate, 7–9 mm. Phyllaries in 3–5 series (reddish distally), linear to lanceolate or lance-ovate (unequal), apices acuminate, abaxial faces sparsely stipitate-glandular. Rays commonly 8 or 13, purple. Cypselae obconic, flattened, strigose; pappus bristles in 2 series, smooth or ± barbellate.

Aster engelmannii (D. C. Eaton) A. Gray var. glaucescens A. Gray in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1(2): 200. 1884 (as engelmanni); A. glaucescens (A. Gray) S. F. Blake; A. glaucophyllus (Piper) Frye & Rigg; A. serrulatus (Greene) Frye & Rigg; Eucephalus glaucophyllus Piper; E. serrulatus Greene

Eucephalus glaucescens is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Klickitat aster. It grows on rocky slopes and in subalpine meadows at high elevations on and near Mount Adams in the south-central part of the US State of Washington.

Eucephalus glaucescens is a perennial herb up to 160 cm (5+1⁄3 ft) tall, with a woody caudex. Stems are hairless. Leaves are whitish and waxy. One plant will usually produce 5-60 flower heads in a large array. Each head has 8-13 purple ray florets surrounding numerous yellow disc florets.