Erigeron inornatus

(A. Gray) A. Gray

Notes Compositae, 88. 1880.

Common names: Lava rayless fleabane
Endemic
Basionym: Erigeron foliosus var. inornatus A. Gray in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. California 1: 330. 1876 (as foliosum var. inornatum)
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 314. Mentioned on page 260, 261, 316.

Perennials, 20–70(–90) cm; taprooted, woody. Stems basally decumbent, abruptly erect, usually glabrous or glabrate, rarely sparsely strigose on proximal 1/2, or hirsutulous proximally and strigose distally, or distally densely hirsutulous (hairs usually ± deflexed, sometimes loosely antrorsely ascending; var. keilii), eglandular. Leaves cauline; blades narrowly oblong-oblanceolate to linear, 20–60 × 2–7 mm, seldom reduced distally, margins entire, faces glabrous, sparsely strigose, or hispid, eglandular. Heads (discoid) (1–)2–15 in corymbiform arrays. Involucres 4.5–6.5 × 7–12 mm. Phyllaries in 3–5 series (margins broad, stramineous, midveins orange, thin), glabrous, usually eglandular, rarely minutely glandular. Ray (pistillate) florets 0. Disc corollas 3.8–4.5 mm (throats slightly indurate, not inflated). Cypselae 2–3 mm, 2-nerved, faces glabrous; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 28–45 bristles.

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Distal stems densely hirsutulous (hairs slightly deflexed, sometimes densely ascending-strigose) Erigeron inornatus var. keilii
1 Distal stems usually sparsely strigose or glabrous > 2
2 Stems 10–20 cm, decumbent-ascending, hirsutulous (hairs spreading-deflexed) in proximal 1/2; proximal and mid leaf margins with stiff, spreading cilia, faces hispid; involucres 5–6.5 mm Erigeron inornatus var. calidipetris
2 Stems 30–70(–90) cm, basally ascending, distally erect, strigose in proximal 1/2; proximal and mid leaf margins eciliate, faces strigose; involucres 4.5–5.5 mm Erigeron inornatus var. inornatus