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Family: Asteraceae (Aster / Sunflower family)
Mid-Atlantic bloom time: July - October
Valley Doll's-daisy is a rare (S1) recently described (2006) species that is known from sinkhole ponds in New Jersey, Pennslyvania and Virginia. It has a flower structure typical of asters, with lavender rays and a bright yellow button-like center. Its overall appearance is much like Boltonia asteroides var. asteroides, which is found in the Susquehanna River valley. Its achenes are unlike that species, though, and instead have achenes similar to B. caroliniana, i.e., with a short ring of bristles and without awns.
Aside from location, the easiest ways to distinguish Valley Doll's-daisy from the similar Carolina Doll's-daisy (Boltonia caroliniana) is the color of their blooms (B. montana has light lavender-colored rays; B. caroliniana usually has white rays) and by their phyllaries (B. montana phyllarries are mostly green, with only a whitish base; B. caroliniana are almost or all white).