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slender daisy, slender fleabane, thin daisy

Eaton's daisy, Eaton's fleabane, Eaton's shaggy daisy

Habit Perennials, 2–15(–20) cm; taprooted, caudex branches commonly relatively slender, lignescent. Perennials, 4–23(–33) cm; tap-rooted, caudices simple or branched.
Stems

erect, sparsely strigillose (hairs white, stiff), sometimes minutely glandular.

erect to ascending or decumbent, strigose, rarely hirtellous, sometimes minutely glandular.

Leaves

mostly basal (persistent); (gray-green) blades 1-nerved spatulate, rhombic-elliptic to narrowly elliptic-ovate, (10–)15–80 × 2–7 mm, margins entire (apices sharply acute), faces moderately to densely strigillose (hairs white, stiff), eglandular.

basal (persistent) and cauline;

basal blades (3-nerved) linear to oblanceolate, 50–110(–190) × (1–)2–8(–13) mm;

cauline gradually reduced distally, margins entire, faces loosely strigose to sparsely hirsuto-villous, eglandular.

Involucres

3–5 × 6–12 mm.

4.5–8 × 8–14(–17) mm (7–11 × 17–23 mm in var. nevadincola).

Ray florets

(15–)20–40;

corollas blue to purple, 4–8 mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing.

16–42;

corollas white or pink to bluish or purple, 5–8(–9) mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing.

Disc corollas

2.5–4.1 mm.

2.5–5 mm (–6.8 mm in var. nevadincola).

Phyllaries

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

in 2–3(–4) series, hirsutulous to villous, sometimes minutely glandular.

Heads

1(–3).

1–4(–7).

Cypselae

1.6–2.5 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of 15–25(–30) bristles.

1.7–3.5 mm (–4.5 mm in var. nevadincola), 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose;

pappi: outer of setae, inner of 12–30 bristles.

2n

= 18.

Erigeron tener

Erigeron eatonii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Rocky or gravelly habitats, often in talus, cliff ledges, crevices, or along ridgetops, in Atriplex, sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, yellow pine, bristlecone pine, limber pine, or spruce
Elevation 1700–3200(–3400) m (5600–10500(–11200) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 6 (6 in the flora).

J. L. Strother and W. J. Ferlatte (1988) provided a detailed study of Erigeron eatonii and its closest relatives (the following key is adapted from their study). Erigeron eatonii is regarded here as comprising a group of varieties with relatively discrete, nearly non-overlapping distributions, intergrading where their ranges are contiguous (for maps, see Strother and Ferlatte). Varieties villosus and lavandulus are exceptions: var. villosus occurs north of all other varieties except var. lavandulus, which occurs completely within the range of var. villosus and might justifiably be treated at specific rank. Variety nevadincola often has been treated at specific rank; its distinctions are quantitative (larger heads, florets, and fruits) and it intergrades with var. sonnei. Erigeron canaani occurs at the southwestern extreme of the range of E. eatonii var. eatonii and may be better treated at varietal rank within E. eatonii; as noted by Strother and Ferlatte, linear-leaves (diagnostic feature of E. canaani) occur in plants of var. eatonii in other parts of its range.

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

Key
1. Involucres 4.5–11 mm; disc corollas (3.5–)4.5–6.8 mm; pappi of 18–30 bristles 3.5–5 mm
→ 2
1. Involucres 4–5(–7) mm; disc corollas 2.5–4(–5) mm; pappi of 12–20(–28) bristles 2.5–4(–5) mm
→ 3
2. Involucres 7–11 × (14–)17–23 mm; ray laminae 7–11 mm; disc corollas 4.4–6.8 mm
var. nevadincola
2. Involucres 4.5–8 × 8–12(–16) mm; ray laminae 4.5–6.6(–8.5) mm; disc corollas 3.5–5 mm
var. sonnei
3. Phyllaries moderately to densely minutely glandular, sparsely to moderately villous
→ 4
3. Phyllaries sometimes sparsely minutely glandular, hirtellous to villous
→ 5
4. Heads 1–2(–7), held well beyond basal leaves
var. eatonii
4. Heads (1–)2–4(–6), held slightly if at all beyond basal leaves
var. lavandulus
5. Heads 1–4; phyllaries sparsely to moderately hirtellous (hairs mostly 0.3–0.8 mm)
var. plantagineus
5. Heads 1(–2); phyllaries moderately to densely villous (hairs mostly 1–2 mm)
var. villosus
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 304. 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. 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. 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. 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. eatonii var. eatonii, E. eatonii var. lavandulus, E. eatonii var. nevadincola, E. eatonii var. plantagineus, E. eatonii var. sonnei, E. eatonii var. villosus
Synonyms E. caespitosus var. tenerus
Name authority (A. Gray) A. Gray: Notes Compositae, 91. (1880) A. Gray: Notes Compositae, 91. (1880)
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