Doellingeria umbellata (Mill.) Nees
Family: Asteraceae
flat-top aster, parasol aster, tall flat-topped white aster
Doellingeria umbellata image
Merel R. Black  
Etymology: Aster: from the Greek aster, "a star," describing the radiate heads of the flowers
Plants: erect, perennial, 1'-7' tall forb; stems usually hairless below the inflorescence; from creeping rhizomes
Leaves: only along the stem, toothless, mostly stalkless, tapering at both ends, 4-6 times as long as wide leaf drawing
Flowers: head 2/3"-1" wide with 7-14 white rays; inflorescence of many heads in flat-topped, dense, branched clusters; blooms July-Sept.
Fruits: dry seed with a few hairs from a thick and firm pappus
Habitat: moist; meadows, woods, forests
Conservation Status: Native