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Hooker's fleabane, Huber's fleabane, tap-root fleabane

rayless shaggy fleabane

Habit Perennials, (1–)2–6(–12) cm; taprooted, caudices branches relatively short, thick. Perennials, 2–20(–30) cm; taprooted, caudices branched.
Stems

erect, strigose to sparsely or densely short-villous (hairs loosely appressed to ascending or spreading), eglandular.

erect to slightly decumbent-ascending, canescent-hirsute, densely stipitate-glandular.

Leaves

mostly basal (persistent) (eciliate or weakly ciliate proximally);

blades 1-nerved linear to narrowly oblanceolate or subspatulate, (5–)10–50(–60) × 0.8–2.5 mm (bases gradually narrowing), margins entire (apices obtuse to rounded), abaxial faces glabrate or glabrous, shiny, adaxial sparsely, loosely strigose, eglandular;

cauline mostly on proximal 1/2–1/3 of stems (absent in some high elevation forms), abruptly or gradually reduced distally.

basal (persistent) and cauline (petioles prominently ciliate, at least on proximal portions, hairs thick-based, spreading);

basal blades linear-oblanceolate to spatulate, 20–80 × 2–7 mm;

cauline gradually or abruptly reduced distally, sometimes bractlike (stems scapiform), margins entire, faces canescent-hirsute, densely stipitate-glandular (hairs finer).

Involucres

(3–)4–6(–8) × (5–)8–12(–15) mm.

4–6 × 7–15 mm.

Ray florets

(12–)20–44(–85);

corollas white, less commonly purplish, 4–7(–8) mm, laminae coiling.

Ray (pistillate) florets

30–45;

corollas usually tubular, lacking laminae, or laminae shorter than involucres.

Disc corollas

(2–)2.5–3.5(–4) mm.

2.8–4.5 mm (throats white-indurate and inflated, conspicuously puberulent).

Phyllaries

in 2–3(–4) series (subequal), villosulous to villoso-hirsutulous (hairs usually with purplish cross walls at least in basal cells), minutely glandular apically or eglandular.

in 2–3 series, coarsely hirsute, densely minutely glandular.

Heads

1.

(disciform) 1–4.

Cypselae

2.1–2.5 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of scales, inner of (6–)7–11 (readily falling) bristles.

1.5–1.8 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose (carpopodia whitish);

pappi: outer of scales or setae, inner of 7–20 bristles.

Erigeron radicatus

Erigeron aphanactis

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Rocky slopes, ridges, and summits, ledges and crevices, outcrops and talus, usually limestone, alpine tundra
Elevation (1400–)1600–2800(–3400) m ((4600–)5200–9200(–11200) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; ND; NE; SD; UT; WY; AB; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Collections of Erigeron radicatus often have been identified as E. ochroleucus var. scribneri; E. radicatus is distinctive in its branched caudex, villous cauline vestiture, more reduced leaf vestiture, involucral vestiture of hairs with purple cross walls, shorter disc corollas, and relatively few, readily falling pappus bristles. Erigeron radicatus often is essentially scapiform at relatively high elevation (2700–3400 m) in Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming; more eastern populations in the Great Plains, at lower elevations (1400–2600 m), have leafier stems but are hardly different in other features. Plants of some populations in Albany and Carbon counties, Wyoming, produce atypically shorter rays.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Erigeron aphanactis is distinguished from E. austiniae by its conspicuously puberulent (versus essentially glabrous) disc corollas and white (versus yellow) carpopodia; it also is similiar in habit and vestiture to E. concinnus, which has conspicuous white to pinkish rays.

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

Key
1. Stems leafy; heads usually 2–3; disc corolla lobes usually yellowish
var. aphanactis
1. Stems scapiform; heads 1; disc corolla lobes sometimes becoming reddish or purplish
var. congestus
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 294. FNA vol. 20, p. 291.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. aphanactis var. aphanactis, E. aphanactis var. congestus
Synonyms E. huberi, E. macounii E. concinnus var. aphanactis
Name authority Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 17, plate 122. (1834) (A. Gray) Greene: Fl. Francisc., 389. (1897)
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