Participant Info

Species

Almutaster pauciflorus

Family

Asteraceae

CommonName

alkali marsh aster

Presence

Yes

Status

native

EarliestDate

1930

LatestDate

2019

Ecosystem

basin, shrubland, foothill, ruderal, urban, sanddunes

Geobotanical

SSanjuans, UBasin

Counties

Alamosa, Rio Grande, Saguache

Passes

WildlifePreserves

Baca, Blanca Wetlands, Great Sand Dunes, Monte Vista, Russell Lakes, San Luis Lakes

Other Localities

Del Norte

PhotoRecords

YES Rich Haswell: Saguache Co, Russell Lakes WPA, 18 Sept 2017; 15 Sept 2022

Comments

In the Watershed, alkali marsh aster is locally common in saline and alkaline habitats: in Saguache, Rio Grande, and Alamosa counties. Historically in the Upper Basin the species may have been more common, since its habitat was reduced by drainage for agriculture. The plant (the only USA species in its genus) follows the Rio Grande drainage through New Mexico, falling one county short of the border with Mexico. It is primarily a Southwest USA plant, with isolated locations in North and South Dakota.

Annotation