''Erigeron poliospermus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names gray-seeded fleabane, purple cushion fleabane, and hairy-seed fleabane. Native to western North America, it is mainly found to the east of the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Description

''Erigeron poliospermus'' is a small perennial herb rarely more than tall, producing a woody taproot. Leaves arise basally and are linear-oblanceolate to spatulate, up to 8 cm long and 12 mm wide, and are covered with long protruding hairs. The plant usually produces single (rarely up to 3) flower heads per stem, which arises basally and is hairy and is leafless or may bear a few very reduced leaves. Each head has 15–45 pink, purple, or white ray florets surrounding numerous yellow disc florets. The ray florets are lacking in var. ''disciformis''. The involucre bracts, long, are more or less the same length and are sparsely to densely white-hairy. Seeds are borne on achenes densely covered with long silky hairs Burke Herbarium Image Collection, http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Erigeron poliospermus and are presumably wind dispersed. The somewhat similar '' Erigeron pumilus'' is usually taller and shaggier in general appearance and has much more prominent leaf-like bracts scattered up a branched flower stem and usually multiple flowers per stem and narrower basal leaves.

Habitat

''Erigeron poliospermus'' grows in desert, scrub and rocky habitats below , and is occasionally found at higher elevations. It is common on the Columbia Plateau in thin rocky soils above basalt bedrock. ;Varieties *''Erigeron poliospermus'' var. ''cereus'' Cronquist - Washington *''Erigeron poliospermus'' var. ''disciformis'' (Cronquist) G.L.Nesom - Washington, OregonNesom, Guy L. 2004. Sida 21(1): 24
/ref> *''Erigeron poliospermus'' var. ''poliospermus'' - British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon

Gallery

Image: Erigeron poliospermus iNat-164326802.jpg, Leaf and involucre morphology

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q15594096 poliospermus Plants described in 1884 Flora of British Columbia Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora without expected TNC conservation status