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California rayless daisy, California rayless fleabane, lava rayless fleabane, rayless fleabane, unadorned fleabane, western rayless fleabane

Denali fleabane

Habit Perennials, 20–70(–90) cm; taprooted, woody. Perennials, 1–5 cm; taprooted, caudices diffuse with extensive systems of rhizomelike, relatively long and slender branches.
Stems

basally decumbent, abruptly erect, usually glabrous or glabrate, rarely sparsely strigose on proximal 1/2, or hirsutulous proximally and strigose distally, or distally densely hirsutulous (hairs usually ± deflexed, sometimes loosely antrorsely ascending; var. keilii), eglandular.

erect (simple, ± scapiform), villous, granular-glandular.

Leaves

cauline;

blades narrowly oblong-oblanceolate to linear, 20–60 × 2–7 mm, seldom reduced distally, margins entire, faces glabrous, sparsely strigose, or hispid, eglandular.

basal (persistent) and cauline;

blades spatulate to oblanceolate-spatulate, 10–20 × 2–4(–5) mm, mid larger than basal and proximal, margins entire or shallowly (2–)3-lobed or -toothed apically (apices obtuse to nearly truncate), faces moderately villous, minutely glandular.

Involucres

4.5–6.5 × 7–12 mm.

(4–)5–7 × 9–12 mm.

Ray florets

30–55;

corollas white to lavender, 4–8 mm, laminae (filiform to narrowly straplike, 0.3–2 mm wide, often involute) erect, rarely spreading, not coiling or reflexing.

Ray (pistillate) florets

0.

Disc florets/Disc corollas

3.8–4.5 mm (throats slightly indurate, not inflated).

3.8–4.8 mm.

Phyllaries

in 3–5 series (margins broad, stramineous, midveins orange, thin), glabrous, usually eglandular, rarely minutely glandular.

in 2(–3) series, densely lanate-villous (hairs to 3 mm, often with dark purple cross walls), glandular.

Heads

(discoid) (1–)2–15 in corymbiform arrays.

1.

Cypselae

2–3 mm, 2-nerved, faces glabrous;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of 28–45 bristles.

3–3.8 mm, 2-nerved, faces strigillose to strigoso-hirsute;

pappi: outer 0 (or inconspicuous), inner of 20–25 (usually ± purple-red tinged, sometimes whitish, variable within populations) bristles.

Erigeron inornatus

Erigeron denalii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Open alpine and subalpine habitats, tundra slopes, openings in spruce-fir woods, gravelly and shaley scree, cut banks
Elevation 900–2200 m (3000–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; NT; YT; BC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Erigeron denalii and E. purpuratus are similar and probably closely related; the two appear to be partially sympatric; differences in vestiture and leaf morphology are constant. The habitat of E. purpuratus, sandy or gravelly alluvium, also is remarkably constant and distinct from that of E. denalii. Apparently correlated with the habitat, plants of E. purpuratus almost always develop a relatively long and slender, woody taproot; taproots of E. denalii apparently are less well defined and often are not collected.

Plants of the type collection of Erigeron mexiae have ray corollas with relatively broad laminae (1.5–2 mm wide); ray corolla width is variable in E. denalii, and E. mexiae is regarded here as an extreme variant within the species. In other characters, there appears to be no difference.

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

Key
1. Distal stems densely hirsutulous (hairs slightly deflexed, sometimes densely ascending-strigose)
var. keilii
1. Distal stems usually sparsely strigose or glabrous
→ 2
2. Stems 10–20 cm, decumbent-ascending, hirsutulous (hairs spreading-deflexed) in proximal 1/2; proximal and mid leaf margins with stiff, spreading cilia, faces hispid; involucres 5–6.5 mm
var. calidipetris
2. Stems 30–70(–90) cm, basally ascending, distally erect, strigose in proximal 1/2; proximal and mid leaf margins eciliate, faces strigose; involucres 4.5–5.5 mm
var. inornatus
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 314. FNA vol. 20, p. 303.
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. 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. 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. compositus, E. concinnus, E. consimilis, E. corymbosus, E. coulteri, E. cronquistii, E. davisii, E. decumbens, 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. inornatus var. calidipetris, E. inornatus var. inornatus, E. inornatus var. keilii
Synonyms E. foliosus var. inornatus E. mexiae, E. purpuratus var. dilatatus
Name authority (A. Gray) A. Gray: Notes Compositae, 88. (1880) A. Nelson: Amer. J. Bot. 32: 289. (1945)
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