Erigeron glabellus (Smooth Fleabane) - photos and description
Leaf mid stem in above photo
Basal leaf in above photo
General: Plants decumbent to erect, foliage sparingly hairy to pubescent.
Flowers: Flower heads 1-3 per stem, light violet to whitish-pink ray florets, flower heads measured to 30 mm diameter. Ray florets measured 0.8 to 1.0 mm wide, and 8 mm long. Bracts linear, in two series, pubescent, bract measured at 7 mm long by 1 mm wide.
Leaves: Stem leaves 7-11, alternate, linear-lanceolate, sessile, stem leaf highlighted in photo above was 4.5 cm long by 5 mm wide. Basal leaves are oblanceolate and have long petioles; basal leaf highlighted above was 7 cm long by 7 mm wide. Leaves only have one prominent nerve.
Height: Height listed in Budd's Flora to 40 cm, I measured plants to 60 cm tall.
Habitat: Moist prairie and open woods.
Abundance: Common.
Origin: Native.
Similar species: Similar to
Erigeron philadelphicus, to distinguish between the two:
- the stem leaves of E. philadelphicus clasp
the stem, the stem leaves of E. glabellus do not clasp the stem (Taxonomic
Reminder for Recognizing Saskatchewan Plants).
- E. philadelphicus leaves all or mostly clasping and auriculate;
E. glabellus leaves all or mostly are NOT clasping and auriculate (in the
taxonomic key for Erigeron in Budd's Flora).
Some authorities list Erigeron asper as a form E. glabellus.
When and where photographed: Above photos taken July 16th, moist prairie 40 km east of Regina, SK, and a moist roadside meadow, boreal forest, about 450 km north east of our home in Regina, SK.