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plains fleabane

Mad River fleabane, Mad River fleabane daisy

Habit Perennials (sometimes flowering early and appearing annual or biennial), 8–40 cm; usually taprooted (taproots woody or lignescent, early season forms sometimes fibrous-rooted), caudices usually woody, sometimes branched. Perennials, 10–22(–27) cm, tap-rooted, caudices usually simple, rarely with branches to 20 cm.
Stems

(often multiple from bases; of previous year often persistent) ascending to spreading (proximally reddish in early season, sometimes proximally woody or lignescent), loosely strigose to villous (proximal hairs sometimes spreading), often sparsely glandular.

ascending to decumbent-ascending (usually basally purplish), sparsely to densely strigose (basal cells inclined, hairs even-width), eglandular.

Leaves

basal (often withering by late flowering) and cauline;

blades oblanceolate to spatulate, 20–50(–100) × 3–7(–18) mm, gradually reduced distally, margins entire or with 1–2(–3) pairs of teeth, faces loosely strigose (hairs ascending), eglandular.

basal (persistent) and cauline;

blades (strongly to weakly 3-nerved) oblanceolate to spatulate-oblanceolate, 30–100 × (3–)5–12(–14) mm, cauline gradually reduced distally or not, usually continuing to near heads, margins entire, faces hirsuto-pilose to weakly pilose, eglandular.

Involucres

3–4.5 × 6–9(–12) mm.

(5–)6–7 × 9–12(–14) mm.

Ray florets

24–65(–170);

corollas white, often with abaxial midstripe, often drying lilac, 4–7(–11) mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing.

(16–)21–33;

corollas white to pinkish or purplish, 10–12 mm, laminae not (or weakly) coiling or reflexing.

Disc corollas

1.7–3.1 mm (throats indurate and slightly inflated).

3.2–3.8 mm.

Phyllaries

in 2–3 series, sparsely to moderately hirsute, minutely glandular.

in 2–3(–4) series, (elliptic- to oblong-oblanceolate, abruptly acuminate), hirsuto-strigose to -pilose, densely villous at bases, usually eglandular, sometimes sparsely glandular.

Heads

1(–3+, –50 in later season, branches at first from midstem or proximally, later more distal).

1(–4) (on peduncles 0.5–5 cm), held well beyond leaves at peak flowering, from branches near midstem (or slightly more distal).

Cypselae

1.1–1.4 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of (5–)12–17 bristles.

2–2.5 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of 16–20 bristles.

2n

= 27, 36.

Erigeron modestus

Erigeron maniopotamicus

Phenology Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jun(–Oct). Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rocky or gravelly sites, sand, clay, limestone, granite, sometimes deep sand, often with oak or oak-juniper, shrubland Dry, barren meadows and openings in mixed conifer woodlands
Elevation 200–1700(–2300) m (700–5600(–7500) ft) 1300–1500 m (4300–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; KS; NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Erigeron modestus is a polyploid complex apparently incorporating genes from E. flagellaris, E. tracyi, elements of E divergens, and the Mexican E. pubescens Kunth; arbitrary identifications may be necessary. In most of its range in Texas, E. modestus is not sympatric with any of those other taxa. Forms flowering in early season (Mar–Apr) often have stems red at the bases, dentate basal leaves 30–60(–100) × 5–10(–18) mm, and single, relatively large heads (involucres 9–12 mm diam, ray florets 50–170, corollas 6.5–11 mm) on ebracteate peduncles 5–15 cm. Later season plants have nearly intricately branched stems with more numerous, much smaller, diffusely arranged heads.

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

Of conservation concern.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 341. FNA vol. 20, p. 279.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. lobatus var. warnockii, E. plateauensis, E. warnockii
Name authority A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 68. (1849) G. L. Nesom & T. W. Nelson: Sida 21: 673, fig. 1. (2004)
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