Silky Aster is also known as Southern White-top Aster, Syn: Doellingeria sericocarpoides.

Plant is an upright, smooth to slightly hairy perennial with an underground stem from which new growth emerges. Preferred habitat is moist pinelands, margin of swamps and wet depressions and flood plains.

Leaves are alternate on the stem, consisting of one part, nearly clasping, lance-like to widest at the middle, no teeth and no lobes or nearly so, tapering to the tip with sides less than equal, pinched and forming an angle to the left. Leaf base is wedge-shaped.

Flowers are compact at the tip of a flowering stem, symmetrical in shape. Disc flowers are bisexual, yellowish white. Ray flowers are all female. Flowers occur at the end of summer and in early autumn.

Fruit is a seed which outer layer is fused to it (achene).