Definition

Noun: A specific variety of the aster plant, characterized by its smooth leaves or stems. It is a type of flowering plant within the large aster genus.

Usage

The term "smooth aster" is used specifically in botany, horticulture, and nature description to identify and distinguish this particular aster variety from others, such as the New England aster or the heath aster, which may have hairy or rough foliage.

Examples

• The prairie restoration project included planting native species like the smooth aster.
• You can identify the smooth aster by its hairless, lance-shaped leaves.
• In late summer, the smooth aster produces lovely purple daisy-like flowers.

Advanced Usage

• In Taxonomic Context: The "smooth aster" often refers to the species (formerly ). Its botanical name highlights its key identifying feature: "laeve" means smooth in Latin.
  • The botanist noted that Symphyotrichum laeve, commonly called the smooth aster, thrived in the dry soil.

Variants and Related Words

• Aster (n): The general name for the genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, known for their star-shaped flower heads.
• Symphyotrichum laeve (n): The current scientific binomial name for the smooth aster.

Synonyms

• Smooth blue aster: A common alternative name emphasizing its typical flower color.
• Glossy-leaved aster: A descriptive synonym focusing on leaf texture.

Notes

This is a compound noun where "smooth" acts as an adjective modifying the head noun "aster." The definition pertains specifically to this combined term as a name for a plant variety.

Noun

1. a variety of aster