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threadleaf fleabane

short-rayed fleabane, spear-leaved fleabane

Habit Plants perennial, 9–40 cm; taprooted, with branching caudices. Plants biennial or short-lived perennial, 4–33 cm; usually fibrous-rooted, caudices simple.
Stems

erect, moderately to densely strigose, eglandular.

erect, sparsely to densely hirsute, eglandular or occasionally with densely minute glands.

Basal leaves

persistent, linear to filiform, 20–80 × 0.5–2 mm;

margins entire;

tips rounded to acute or acuminate;

surfaces moderately to densely strigose.

persistent, oblanceolate to spatulate, 10–100 × 4–10 mm;

margins entire, often with spreading cilia;

surfaces glabrous to moderately hirsute or strigose.

Cauline leaves

gradually reduced distally or not.

narrowly elliptic, oblong, oblanceolate to linear, 10–100 × 1–5 mm, reduced distally, bases often clasping;

surfaces glabrous to moderately hirsute or strigose.

Involucres

4–6 × 7–11 mm.

4–7 × 5–11 mm.

Ray florets

20–40, white to purple;

rays 3–9 × 0.7–1.5 mm.

40–100, white to pink;

rays 2–5 × 0.2–0.4 mm.

Disc florets

corollas 2–4 mm.

corollas 3–5 mm.

Phyllaries

in 2–4 series;

surfaces moderately to densely strigose or villous, sometimes nearly glabrous distally, densely minutely glandular.

in 2–3 series;

surfaces sparsely to densely hirsute, glandular or eglandular.

Fruits

1–3 mm, sparsely strigose;

inner pappi of numerous barbellate bristles.

1.5–2.5 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;

inner pappi of numerous barbellate bristles.

Heads

1–5 in corymb-like arrays, radiate.

1–10 in raceme-like arrays, radiate.

2n

=18.

=18.

Erigeron filifolius

Erigeron lonchophyllus

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rocky areas, sagebrush, juniper and pine forests. Flowering Apr–Aug. 50–2200 m. BR, BW, Col, ECas, Lava, Owy. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT, southeast to UT. Native.

If subspecific taxa were recognized, Oregon specimens would correspond to the typical variety.

Floodplains, lakesides, gravel bars, roadsides, marshes, seeps. Flowering Jun–Aug. 800–2300 m. BR, BW, Casc, ECas, Lava, Owy. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to AK, northeast to Nunavut, east to Quebec, southeast to NM. Native.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 256
James Riser, Stephen Meyers
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 258
James Riser, Stephen Meyers
Sibling taxa
E. acris, E. aliceae, E. annuus, E. aphanactis, E. aureus, E. bloomeri, E. cascadensis, E. cervinus, E. chrysopsidis, E. compositus, E. corymbosus, E. coulteri, E. decumbens, E. disparipilus, E. divergens, E. eatonii, E. elegantulus, E. foliosus, E. glacialis, E. glaucus, E. howellii, E. inornatus, E. karvinskianus, E. klamathensis, E. latus, E. linearis, E. lonchophyllus, E. nivalis, E. oreganus, E. peregrinus, E. petrophilus, E. philadelphicus, E. poliospermus, E. pumilus, E. simplex, E. speciosus, E. stanselliae, E. strigosus, E. tener, E. vagus
E. acris, E. aliceae, E. annuus, E. aphanactis, E. aureus, E. bloomeri, E. cascadensis, E. cervinus, E. chrysopsidis, E. compositus, E. corymbosus, E. coulteri, E. decumbens, E. disparipilus, E. divergens, E. eatonii, E. elegantulus, E. filifolius, E. foliosus, E. glacialis, E. glaucus, E. howellii, E. inornatus, E. karvinskianus, E. klamathensis, E. latus, E. linearis, E. nivalis, E. oreganus, E. peregrinus, E. petrophilus, E. philadelphicus, E. poliospermus, E. pumilus, E. simplex, E. speciosus, E. stanselliae, E. strigosus, E. tener, E. vagus
Synonyms Erigeron filifolius var. filifolius, Erigeron filifolius var. robustior Trimorpha lonchophylla
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