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Eaton's daisy, Eaton's fleabane, Eaton's shaggy daisy

cut-leaf daisy, cut-leaf fleabane, dwarf mountain fleabane, fern-leaf fleabane, trifid mountain fleabane, vergerette à feuilles segmentées

Habit Perennials, 4–23(–33) cm; tap-rooted, caudices simple or branched. Perennials, 5–15(–25 cm); taprooted, caudices simple or branches usually relatively thick and short, rarely slender and rhizomelike, covered with persistent leaf bases.
Stems

erect to ascending or decumbent, strigose, rarely hirtellous, sometimes minutely glandular.

erect (simple, ± scapiform), sparsely hispido-pilose, minutely glandular.

Leaves

basal (persistent) and cauline;

basal blades (3-nerved) linear to oblanceolate, 50–110(–190) × (1–)2–8(–13) mm;

cauline gradually reduced distally, margins entire, faces loosely strigose to sparsely hirsuto-villous, eglandular.

mostly basal (persistent);

blades spatulate to obovate-spatulate, 5–50(–70) × (2–)4–12 mm, margins (1–)2–3(–4)-ternately lobed or dissected, cauline bractlike, mostly entire, faces densely hispiduloso-puberulent to glabrate, minutely glandular.

Involucres

4.5–8 × 8–14(–17) mm (7–11 × 17–23 mm in var. nevadincola).

5–10 × 8–20 mm.

Ray florets

16–42;

corollas white or pink to bluish or purple, 5–8(–9) mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing.

Ray (pistillate) florets

20–60;

corollas white to pink or blue, usually 6–12 mm, often reduced to tubes (heads disciform), laminae not coiling or reflexing.

Disc corollas

2.5–5 mm (–6.8 mm in var. nevadincola).

3–5 mm.

Phyllaries

in 2–3(–4) series, hirsutulous to villous, sometimes minutely glandular.

in 2–3 series (purple-tipped), hirsute (hairs spreading), minutely glandular.

Heads

1–4(–7).

(sometimes disciform) 1.

Cypselae

1.7–3.5 mm (–4.5 mm in var. nevadincola), 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of 12–30 bristles.

1.6–2.7 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose-hirsute;

pappi: outer usually of setae, sometimes 0, inner of 12–20 bristles.

2n

= 18, 36, 45, 54.

Erigeron eatonii

Erigeron compositus

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jun–Aug.
Habitat Sagebrush, rabbitbrush, aspen to aspen-fir, subalpine meadows, cliffs, talus, and boulders
Elevation (in e Canada, possibly Greenland and Arctic bridge gap, 10–200–)1800–4300 m ((in e Canada, possibly Greenland and Arctic bridge gap, 0–700–)5900–14100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; ND; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NF; NT; NU; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; e Asia (Russian Far East)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 6 (6 in the flora).

J. L. Strother and W. J. Ferlatte (1988) provided a detailed study of Erigeron eatonii and its closest relatives (the following key is adapted from their study). Erigeron eatonii is regarded here as comprising a group of varieties with relatively discrete, nearly non-overlapping distributions, intergrading where their ranges are contiguous (for maps, see Strother and Ferlatte). Varieties villosus and lavandulus are exceptions: var. villosus occurs north of all other varieties except var. lavandulus, which occurs completely within the range of var. villosus and might justifiably be treated at specific rank. Variety nevadincola often has been treated at specific rank; its distinctions are quantitative (larger heads, florets, and fruits) and it intergrades with var. sonnei. Erigeron canaani occurs at the southwestern extreme of the range of E. eatonii var. eatonii and may be better treated at varietal rank within E. eatonii; as noted by Strother and Ferlatte, linear-leaves (diagnostic feature of E. canaani) occur in plants of var. eatonii in other parts of its range.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Correlations among ploidal level, breeding systems, and morphologic variation have been studied in detail in Erigeron compositus. Five informally designated population systems of diploids are geographically restricted (all of the northwestern United States and adjacent Canada) and primarily sexual, compared to the polyploids, which are agamospermous and apparently of hybrid origin, at least in some cases (R. D. Noyes et al. 1995; Noyes and D. E. Soltis 1996). Reduction in ray floret laminae usually is correlated with polyploidy. Plants with 1-ternately lobed leaves have been identified as var. glabratus, an element of variation that does not have a geographic pattern.

Among closely related species, Erigeron compositus is the only one that produces strongly thickened caudex branches; occasional collections show a tendency toward the slender, loose branches characteristic of the other species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Involucres 4.5–11 mm; disc corollas (3.5–)4.5–6.8 mm; pappi of 18–30 bristles 3.5–5 mm
→ 2
1. Involucres 4–5(–7) mm; disc corollas 2.5–4(–5) mm; pappi of 12–20(–28) bristles 2.5–4(–5) mm
→ 3
2. Involucres 7–11 × (14–)17–23 mm; ray laminae 7–11 mm; disc corollas 4.4–6.8 mm
var. nevadincola
2. Involucres 4.5–8 × 8–12(–16) mm; ray laminae 4.5–6.6(–8.5) mm; disc corollas 3.5–5 mm
var. sonnei
3. Phyllaries moderately to densely minutely glandular, sparsely to moderately villous
→ 4
3. Phyllaries sometimes sparsely minutely glandular, hirtellous to villous
→ 5
4. Heads 1–2(–7), held well beyond basal leaves
var. eatonii
4. Heads (1–)2–4(–6), held slightly if at all beyond basal leaves
var. lavandulus
5. Heads 1–4; phyllaries sparsely to moderately hirtellous (hairs mostly 0.3–0.8 mm)
var. plantagineus
5. Heads 1(–2); phyllaries moderately to densely villous (hairs mostly 1–2 mm)
var. villosus
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 279. FNA vol. 20, p. 300.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Erigeron Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Erigeron
Sibling taxa
E. abajoensis, E. acomanus, E. acris, E. aequifolius, E. algidus, E. aliceae, E. allocotus, E. alpiniformis, E. anchana, E. annuus, E. aphanactis, E. arenarioides, E. argentatus, E. arisolius, E. arizonicus, E. asperugineus, E. aureus, E. barbellulatus, E. basalticus, E. bellidiastrum, E. bigelovii, E. biolettii, E. blochmaniae, E. bloomeri, E. breweri, E. caespitosus, E. calvus, E. canaani, E. canus, E. cascadensis, E. cavernensis, E. cervinus, E. chrysopsidis, E. clokeyi, E. compactus, E. compositus, E. concinnus, E. consimilis, E. corymbosus, E. coulteri, E. cronquistii, E. davisii, E. decumbens, E. denalii, E. disparipilus, E. divergens, E. elatior, E. elatus, E. elegantulus, E. elmeri, E. engelmannii, E. evermannii, E. eximius, E. filifolius, E. flabellifolius, E. flagellaris, E. flettii, E. foliosus, E. formosissimus, E. garrettii, E. geiseri, E. glabellus, E. glacialis, E. glaucus, E. goodrichii, E. gracilis, E. grandiflorus, E. greenei, E. heliographis, E. hessii, E. howellii, E. humilis, E. hyperboreus, E. hyssopifolius, E. inornatus, E. jonesii, E. kachinensis, E. karvinskianus, E. klamathensis, E. kuschei, E. lackschewitzii, E. lanatus, E. lassenianus, E. latus, E. leibergii, E. leiomerus, E. lemmonii, E. linearis, E. lobatus, E. lonchophyllus, E. maguirei, E. mancus, E. maniopotamicus, E. mariposanus, E. melanocephalus, E. miser, E. modestus, E. muirii, E. multiceps, E. nanus, E. nauseosus, E. nematophyllus, E. neomexicanus, E. nivalis, E. ochroleucus, E. oreganus, E. oreophilus, E. ovinus, E. oxyphyllus, E. pallens, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. peregrinus, E. petrophilus, E. philadelphicus, E. pinnatisectus, E. piperianus, E. piscaticus, E. poliospermus, E. porsildii, E. pringlei, E. procumbens, E. pulchellus, E. pulcherrimus, E. pumilus, E. purpuratus, E. pygmaeus, E. quercifolius, E. radicatus, E. reductus, E. religiosus, E. rhizomatus, E. robustior, E. rybius, E. rydbergii, E. salishii, E. salmonensis, E. sanctarum, E. saxatilis, E. sceptrifer, E. scopulinus, E. serpentinus, E. sionis, E. sivinskii, E. sparsifolius, E. speciosus, E. strigosus, E. subglaber, E. subtrinervis, E. supplex, E. tenellus, E. tener, E. tenuis, E. tracyi, E. trifidus, E. tweedyi, E. uintahensis, E. uncialis, E. uniflorus, E. untermannii, E. ursinus, E. utahensis, E. vagus, E. velutipes, E. vernus, E. versicolor, E. vetensis, E. vicinus, E. vreelandii, E. watsonii, E. wilkenii, E. yukonensis
E. abajoensis, E. acomanus, E. acris, E. aequifolius, E. algidus, E. aliceae, E. allocotus, E. alpiniformis, E. anchana, E. annuus, E. aphanactis, E. arenarioides, E. argentatus, E. arisolius, E. arizonicus, E. asperugineus, E. aureus, E. barbellulatus, E. basalticus, E. bellidiastrum, E. bigelovii, E. biolettii, E. blochmaniae, E. bloomeri, E. breweri, E. caespitosus, E. calvus, E. canaani, E. canus, E. cascadensis, E. cavernensis, E. cervinus, E. chrysopsidis, E. clokeyi, E. compactus, E. concinnus, E. consimilis, E. corymbosus, E. coulteri, E. cronquistii, E. davisii, E. decumbens, E. denalii, E. disparipilus, E. divergens, E. eatonii, E. elatior, E. elatus, E. elegantulus, E. elmeri, E. engelmannii, E. evermannii, E. eximius, E. filifolius, E. flabellifolius, E. flagellaris, E. flettii, E. foliosus, E. formosissimus, E. garrettii, E. geiseri, E. glabellus, E. glacialis, E. glaucus, E. goodrichii, E. gracilis, E. grandiflorus, E. greenei, E. heliographis, E. hessii, E. howellii, E. humilis, E. hyperboreus, E. hyssopifolius, E. inornatus, E. jonesii, E. kachinensis, E. karvinskianus, E. klamathensis, E. kuschei, E. lackschewitzii, E. lanatus, E. lassenianus, E. latus, E. leibergii, E. leiomerus, E. lemmonii, E. linearis, E. lobatus, E. lonchophyllus, E. maguirei, E. mancus, E. maniopotamicus, E. mariposanus, E. melanocephalus, E. miser, E. modestus, E. muirii, E. multiceps, E. nanus, E. nauseosus, E. nematophyllus, E. neomexicanus, E. nivalis, E. ochroleucus, E. oreganus, E. oreophilus, E. ovinus, E. oxyphyllus, E. pallens, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. peregrinus, E. petrophilus, E. philadelphicus, E. pinnatisectus, E. piperianus, E. piscaticus, E. poliospermus, E. porsildii, E. pringlei, E. procumbens, E. pulchellus, E. pulcherrimus, E. pumilus, E. purpuratus, E. pygmaeus, E. quercifolius, E. radicatus, E. reductus, E. religiosus, E. rhizomatus, E. robustior, E. rybius, E. rydbergii, E. salishii, E. salmonensis, E. sanctarum, E. saxatilis, E. sceptrifer, E. scopulinus, E. serpentinus, E. sionis, E. sivinskii, E. sparsifolius, E. speciosus, E. strigosus, E. subglaber, E. subtrinervis, E. supplex, E. tenellus, E. tener, E. tenuis, E. tracyi, E. trifidus, E. tweedyi, E. uintahensis, E. uncialis, E. uniflorus, E. untermannii, E. ursinus, E. utahensis, E. vagus, E. velutipes, E. vernus, E. versicolor, E. vetensis, E. vicinus, E. vreelandii, E. watsonii, E. wilkenii, E. yukonensis
Subordinate taxa
E. eatonii var. eatonii, E. eatonii var. lavandulus, E. eatonii var. nevadincola, E. eatonii var. plantagineus, E. eatonii var. sonnei, E. eatonii var. villosus
Synonyms E. compositus var. discoideus, E. compositus var. glabratus, E. compositus var. multifidus, E. gormanii
Name authority A. Gray: Notes Compositae, 91. (1880) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 535. (1813)
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