Erigeron austiniae
Encyclopedia
Erigeron austiniae is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name sagebrush fleabane. It is sometimes considered a variety of Erigeron chrysopsidis. It is native to the western United States from northeastern California
to southwestern Idaho
, where it grows in the sagebrush
and juniper woodlands. It is a small, clumping perennial herb producing a hairy stem up to about 12 centimters tall from a woody caudex
and taproot
surrounded by narrow linear to somewhat oval leaves up to 8 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a solitary flat-topped woolly flower head
containing many yellow disc florets. There occasionally appears a yellow ray floret, but they are usually absent. The fruit is an achene
with a pappus
of bristles.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name sagebrush fleabane. It is sometimes considered a variety of Erigeron chrysopsidis. It is native to the western United States from northeastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to southwestern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, where it grows in the sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
and juniper woodlands. It is a small, clumping perennial herb producing a hairy stem up to about 12 centimters tall from a woody caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
and taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
surrounded by narrow linear to somewhat oval leaves up to 8 centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a solitary flat-topped woolly flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
containing many yellow disc florets. There occasionally appears a yellow ray floret, but they are usually absent. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
with a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of bristles.