This widely cultivated species occasionally persists or even escapes, but it is probably not truly naturalized. There are colls. from BOUR, CAMP and CART (M). Other cultivated true asters are expected; W. Overbeck recently collected A. ageratoides Turcz. from a subdivision in MADI (APSC; initially identified as S. prenanthoides). After recent revision of the genus Aster in its broad sense, Aster sensu stricto has become limited to Eurasian species (FNA 20; with reference to papers of Nesom and Semple). Aster sensu stricto appears relatively close to Eurybia, but differs as follows (FNA 20): cypselae with 2 marginal ribs (versus 7-18 nerves); pappi of 20-30 subequal bristles (versus 35-70 unequal) in 1-2 series (versus 2-4), white to tawny (versus reddish/pinkish to yellowish/tawny); phyllaries 25-50 in 2-4 series (versus 20-140 in 3-7 series), their bases and margins more or less scarious to hyaline (versus indurate at base and margins more or less scarious),