{{short description|Species of plant}} {{Speciesbox | name = Sea aster | image = Sea Aster.jpg | genus = Tripolium | species = pannonicum | authority = (Jacq.) Dobrocz.<ref name=EMP>{{Citation |last=Greuter |first=W. |date=2006 |contribution=Tripolium pannonicum |editor1-last=Greuter |editor1-first=W. |editor2-last=Raab-Straube |editor2-first=E. von |title=Euro+Med Plantbase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity |url=http://ww2.bgbm.org/euroPlusMed/PTaxonDetail.asp?NameId=130747&PTRefFk=7000000 |accessdate=2014-08-23 }}</ref> | synonyms_ref = <ref name=EMP/> | synonyms = {{Specieslist |Aster longicaulis|(DC.) Dufour |Aster pannonicus|Jacq. |Aster tripolium ''subsp.'' longicaulis|(DC.) Nyman |Aster tripolium ''subsp.'' pannonicus|(Jacq.) Soó |Tripolium longicaule|(DC.) Dufour |Tripolium vulgare|Nees, nom. illeg. |Tripolium vulgare ''var.'' longicaule|DC. }} }}

'''''Tripolium pannonicum''''', called '''sea aster'''<ref>{{PLANTS|id=TRPA26|taxon=Tripolium pannonicum|accessdate=15 December 2015}}</ref> or '''seashore aster'''<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf|title=English Names for Korean Native Plants|publisher=Korea National Arboretum|year=2015|isbn=978-89-97450-98-5|location=Pocheon|pages=367|access-date=26 January 2017|via=Korea Forest Service|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525105020/http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf|archivedate=25 May 2017}}</ref> and often known by the synonyms '''''Aster tripolium''''' or '''''Aster pannonicus''''', is a flowering plant, native to Eurasia and northern Africa,<ref>{{GRIN | accessdate = 22 December 2017}}</ref><ref name=EMP/> that is confined in its distribution to salt marshes, estuaries and occasionally to inland salt works.

It is a perennial growing up to 50&nbsp;cm tall with fleshy lanceolate leaves and purple ray florets flowering from July to September. The plants tend to be short-lived and populations need significant new recruitment each year from new seedlings. There are rayed as well as rayless varieties and only the former have long blue or white florets. The rayless form is yellow. The plant flowers well into autumn and hence provides a valuable source of nectar for late-flying butterflies such as painted lady and red admiral.

Young leaves of this plant are edible and are collected for consumption on the floodplains of the Dutch province of Zeeland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Culinary surprises from Zeeland |url=https://www.zeeland.com/en/visit/drinking-and-dining/culinary-surprises-from-zeeland |website=www.zeeland.com |access-date=31 October 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

Sea aster was celebrated as the subject of a definitive stamp issued by the Irish post office, An Post, designed by Susan Sex.<ref>{{Cite web |last=An Post |title=Wild Flowers of Ireland - 82c sea aster stamp |url=https://www.anpost.com/Shop/Products/08D082 |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=anpost.com}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

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Category:Astereae Category:Salt marsh plants Category:Halophytes

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