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northern daisy

Erigeron howellii

Howell's fleabane

Habit Plants biennial or short-lived perennial, 4–20 cm; fibrous-rooted to weakly taprooted, caudices branched. Plants perennial, 20–45 cm; fibrous-rooted, rhizomatous, caudices branching or not.
Stems

erect, sparsely to moderately hirsute, minutely glandular.

erect, glabrous to sparsely and minutely strigillose, eglandular.

Basal leaves

persistent, oblanceolate to spatulate, 10–100 × 3–15 mm;

margins entire, ciliate;

surfaces glabrous to sparsely strigose.

persistent, broadly spatulate, 40–150 × 10–35 mm;

margins entire or with few large teeth;

surfaces glabrous, eglandular.

Cauline leaves

oblanceolate, elliptic, or lanceolate, 5–50 × 1–5 mm, reduced distally;

surfaces glabrous or sparsely strigose.

lanceolate to elliptic, 15–80 × 10–35 mm, gradually reduced distally;

margins entire or with few coarse teeth;

surfaces often ciliate or glandular.

Involucres

4–7 × 7–13 mm.

5–9 × 15–23 mm.

Ray florets

in 2 series, outer of 30–70 erect, filiform rays, 0.3–0.5 × 3–6 mm, white to light pink, inner of tubular florets; fewer than outer series.

25–50, white;

rays 8–20 × 2.5–4 mm.

Disc florets

corollas 4–6 mm.

corollas 4–5 mm.

Phyllaries

in 2–3 series;

surfaces nearly glabrous to sparsely hirsute, occasionally villous basally, densely glandular.

in 2–3 series, with prominent central veins;

surfaces glabrous, densely glandular.

Fruits

1.5–2.5 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;

inner pappi of numerous barbellate bristles.

2.5–3 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;

inner pappi of numerous barbellate bristles.

Heads

1–10 in corymb-like arrays, radiate.

1, radiate.

2n

=18.

Erigeron nivalis

Erigeron howellii

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

Gravelly areas, mossy rocks, lava beds, talus slopes, cliffs. Flowering May–Aug. 1500–2500 m. BW, Casc, ECas. CA, ID, WA; north to AK, northeast to Northwest Territories, east to WY, southeast to NM. Native.

Rocky slopes, open woods. Flowering May–Jul. 100–1500 m. Casc. WA. Native.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 259
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. filifolius, E. foliosus, E. glacialis, E. glaucus, E. howellii, E. inornatus, E. karvinskianus, E. klamathensis, E. latus, E. linearis, E. lonchophyllus, 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. 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
Synonyms Erigeron acris var. debilis, Trimorpha acris var. debilis
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