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New Mexico fleabane

branch fleabane, branching daisy, club-fruit willowherb, common eastern fleabane, daisy fleabane, plains fleabane, prairie fleabane, purple-leaf willowherb, rough fleabane, rough-stem daisy, rough-stem fleabane, vergerette rude, whitetop fleabane

Habit Perennials, 20–70 cm; taprooted, caudices woody. Annuals, biennials, or short-lived perennials, 30–70 cm; fibrous-rooted, caudices simple, sometimes lignescent, sometimes producing rhizomes that bear leaf tufts at upturned ends.
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, sparsely to moderately strigose to strigillose or hirsuto-strigillose (hairs usually ascending, rarely spreading, 0.1–1.2 mm), eglandular.

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.

basal (usually persistent through flowering) and cauline;

basal blades spatulate to broadly or narrowly oblanceolate to linear, (10–)30–150(–170) × 5–15(–21) mm;

cauline usually gradually reduced distally, continuing to near heads, margins entire or shallowly to deeply serrate or crenate, faces glabrous or glabrate to sparsely strigose or strigoso-hirsute, eglandular.

Involucres

3.5–5 × 7–12 mm.

(2–)3–4 × 5–12 mm.

Ray florets

70–150;

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

50–100;

corollas white, less commonly pinkish or bluish, 4–6 mm, laminae coiling.

Disc corollas

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

1.5–2.5 mm (throats sometimes slightly indurate and inflated).

Phyllaries

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

in 2–4 series, glabrous, strigose, or sparsely hirsute, sometimes minutely glandular.

Heads

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

10–200+ in loosely corymbiform to paniculiform-corymbiform arrays (on distal branches).

Cypselae

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

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

(0.5–)0.9–1.2 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer crowns of setae or scales, inner 0 (rays) or of 8–15 bristles (disc).

2n

= 18, 36.

Erigeron neomexicanus

Erigeron strigosus

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
AL; AR; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK [Introduced in Europe, Pacific Islands (Hawaii)]
[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 4 (4 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Phyllary hairs flattened, 0.5–1.2 mm; stem hairs appressed to spreading, 0.5–1 mm
var. septentrionalis
1. Phyllary hairs terete, mostly 0.1–0.5 mm; stem hairs appressed to ascending, 0.1–0.4(–0.8) mm
→ 2
2. Annual or rarely biennial, without rhizomes; various habitats, often ruderal
var. strigosus
2. Plants usually perennial (sometimes killed prematurely by severe drought), with rhizomes that bear overwintering leaf tufts at upturned ends; shallow soils over calcareous rock
→ 3
3. Basal leaves linear to linear-oblanceolate, 1–3.5(–6) mm wide; cauline leaf faces sparsely to moderately strigillose
var. dolomiticola
3. Basal leaves oblanceolate to narrowly obovate or spatulate, (3.2–)3.8–15(–21) mm wide; cauline leaf faces glabrous, margins and midveins ciliate
var. calcicola
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 277. FNA vol. 20, p. 345.
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. 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. 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. strigosus var. calcicola, E. strigosus var. dolomiticola, E. strigosus var. septentrionalis, E. strigosus var. strigosus
Synonyms E. delphiniifolius var. euneomexicanus, E. delphiniifolius subsp. neomexicanus E. annuus subsp. strigosus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 2. (1883) Muhlenberg ex Willdenow: Sp. Pl. 3: 1956. (1803)
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