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New Mexico fleabane

leafy daisy, leafy fleabane

Habit Perennials, 20–70 cm; taprooted, caudices woody. Perennials, 20–100 cm; taprooted, woody, with caudexlike branches 2–15 cm, or leafy stems arising directly from roots; single plants usually bowl-shaped, with up to a 65 cm lateral spread.
Stems

erect, moderately to densely strigose (hairs appressed to ascending, 0.1–0.8(–2) mm, sometimes spreading at bases or throughout), eglandular or glands minute, non-capitate.

erect or ascending (often purple, distal branches stiff, spreading-ascending, without axillary leaf tufts), glabrous or sparsely strigose (hairs straight, ascending-appressed), sometimes minutely glandular distally.

Leaves

basal (sometimes persistent) and cauline;

blades oblanceolate, margins usually deeply pinnatifid (lobes in 2–5 pairs), sometimes dentate to entire, faces strigose, eglandular;

basal 10–60 × 6–35 mm, cauline gradually reduced distally.

cauline;

blades 1-nerved (often sharply folding in narrower forms), filiform or linear to oblanceolate, 10–65 × 1–5(–10) mm, relatively even-sized (mid and distal longer than internodes), margins entire, ciliate (cilia ascending-appressed, thick-based), faces glabrous or sparsely strigose, eglandular.

Involucres

3.5–5 × 7–12 mm.

3.2–6.5 × 7–12(–14) mm.

Ray florets

70–150;

corollas white, drying white, (2–)6–15 mm, laminae reflexing.

15–60;

corollas white to blue, 5–15 mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing.

Disc corollas

2.5–3.3 mm (throats somewhat white-indurate, not inflated).

3.5–5.5 mm (throats slightly indurate, not inflated).

Phyllaries

in 3–4 series, strigose to hirsute (hairs arising mostly from midregion), usually minutely glandular, rarely eglandular.

in 3–5 series (outer: margins stramineous, with distal, greenish, rhomboid patches; inner: margins narrow, scarious), glabrous or moderately to densely strigoso-hirsute, sparsely and obscurely to densely and prominently minutely glandular.

Heads

(1–)5–15(–30) in loosely corymbiform arrays.

1 or 2–5 in loosely corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

1–1.3 mm, 2(–4)–nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: (outer 0) inner (readily falling) of (8–)10–12 bristles.

(1.8–)2.2–3 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of 19–34 bristles.

2n

= 18, 36.

Erigeron neomexicanus

Erigeron foliosus

Phenology Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Dec).
Habitat Open, rocky sites, from grasslands into oak or pine woodlands, often with madrono, juniper, or fir
Elevation (900–)1500–2700(–3000) m ((3000–)4900–8900(–9800) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Relatively large, pinnatifid leaves are typical of Erigeron neomexicanus; plants with nearly entire leaves can be identified by the strongly perennial habit, white, reflexing rays, and 10–12 readily falling pappus bristles. Erigeron neomexicanus and E. oreophilus were treated by A. Cronquist (1947) as varieties of one species, and their morphologic similarity and the closeness of their geographic ranges support that hypothesis. But relatively few collections are found that could be regarded as intermediates, and both forms sometimes grow in proximity, apparently without a range of intermediates. In some Arizona mountain ranges, apparently only one or the other taxon occurs. Still, the possibility exists that these are populational segregants of a single species (see further comments in G. L. Nesom 1989d).

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

Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).

Erigeron foliosus and its close relatives, including varieties, were mapped in detail by G. L. Nesom (1992b).

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

Key
1. Phyllaries 0.5–0.8 mm wide, margins usually thick or only narrowly scarious, abaxial faces sometimes sparsely and obscurely glandular
→ 2
1. Phyllaries 0.8–1 mm wide, margins usually broadly scarious, abaxial faces densely and prominently glandular
→ 3
2. Leaves (30–)40–60 mm, apices usually acute, often mostly with 1-directional orientation to one side of stems; inner phyllaries (4–)5–6 mm; ray corollas 8–13 mm
var. hartwegii
2. Leaves 20–40(–50) mm, apices usually rounded, without a prominent 1-directional orientation; inner phyllaries 3.2–4.5 mm; ray corollas 6–10 mm
var. foliosus
3. Phyllaries glabrous; leaves mostly 1–2 mm wide
var. confinis
3. Phyllaries moderately to densely strigoso-hirsute; leaves mostly 2–4 mm wide
→ 4
4. Leaf faces sparsely to moderately strigose; phyllaries with prominent, raised, orange-resinous midnerves; ray corollas 7–10 mm
var. franciscensis
4. Leaf faces glabrous or glabrate except for ascending-ciliate margins and midveins; phyllaries usually without distinct, orange-resinous midnerves; ray corollas 10–15 mm
var. mendocinus
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 277. FNA vol. 20, p. 311.
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. modestus, E. muirii, E. multiceps, E. nanus, E. nauseosus, E. nematophyllus, 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. 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. foliosus var. confinis, E. foliosus var. foliosus, E. foliosus var. franciscensis, E. foliosus var. hartwegii, E. foliosus var. mendocinus
Synonyms E. delphiniifolius var. euneomexicanus, E. delphiniifolius subsp. neomexicanus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 2. (1883) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 309. (1840)
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