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Peck's threadleaf fleabane

Erigeron howellii

Howell's fleabane

Habit Perennial from a taproot and branched, short woody base, 1-5 dm. tall, the stem densely covered with fine, appressed hairs aligned in one direction. Rhizomatous perennial, the stems 2-5 dm. tall, with a few woolly hairs under the heads.
Leaves

Leaves both basal and cauline, linear or linear-filiform, 1-8 cm. long and 0.3-3 mm. wide, of uniform width.

Leaves alternate, thin, glabrous, the lower ones with an ellipitical blade 2-8 cm. long and 1.5-4.5 cm. wide, abruptly contracted to the 2-12 cm. petiole; middle cauline leaves ovate to cordate, strongly clasping at the base; upper leaves similar but smaller.

Flowers

Heads solitary or several;

involucre 4-6 mm. high, with fine, soft hairs or small glands or both;

rays 15-125, blue, pink or white, 3-13 mm. long and 1-2 mm. wide;

pappus of 20-30 simple hairs.

Heads solitary; disk 12-20 mm. wide;

involucre bracts loose, equal, glandular, somewhat herbaceous;

rays 30-50, white, 13-25 mm. long and 2-4 mm. wide; disk corollas yellow, 4-5 mm. long, the lobes flaring;

pappus simple, of 20-30 capillary bristles.

Fruits

Achenes asymmetrically 5-nerved.

Erigeron filifolius

Erigeron howellii

Flowering time May-July April-June
Habitat Sagebrush plains, dry slopes, and grasslands. Moist, rocky places in the lowlands.
Distribution
Occurring east of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana, Idaho, and Utah.
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[BONAP county map]
Known only from Skamania County in Washington; Skamania County, WA to Clackamas and Multnomah counties in Oregon.
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[BONAP county map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Not of concern Threatened in Washington (WANHP)
Sibling taxa
E. acris, E. aliceae, E. annuus, E. aureus, E. basalticus, E. bloomeri, E. caespitosus, E. chrysopsidis, E. compositus, E. corymbosus, E. davisii, E. disparipilus, E. divergens, E. eatonii, E. elatus, E. flettii, E. glacialis, E. howellii, E. inornatus, E. karvinskianus, E. leibergii, E. linearis, E. lonchophyllus, E. nivalis, E. oreganus, E. peregrinus, E. philadelphicus, E. piperianus, E. poliospermus, E. pumilus, E. salishii, E. speciosus, E. strigosus, E. subtrinervis
E. acris, E. aliceae, E. annuus, E. aureus, E. basalticus, E. bloomeri, E. caespitosus, E. chrysopsidis, E. compositus, E. corymbosus, E. davisii, E. disparipilus, E. divergens, E. eatonii, E. elatus, E. filifolius, E. flettii, E. glacialis, E. inornatus, E. karvinskianus, E. leibergii, E. linearis, E. lonchophyllus, E. nivalis, E. oreganus, E. peregrinus, E. philadelphicus, E. piperianus, E. poliospermus, E. pumilus, E. salishii, E. speciosus, E. strigosus, E. subtrinervis
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