Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Erigerons, White 3

Erigerons, what we often call "Daisies" or "Fleabanes", are a large and complex genus with several dozen species common in the Four Corners. Erigerons have yellow disk flowers and numerous narrow ray flowers that are white, pink, or purple (but not yellow).

In 1753 Linnaeus gave the genus its name from the Greek "eri" ("early") + "geron" ("old man" -- "geriatrics" is the study of old age processes and problems). Perhaps the Greek name refers to characteristics of some now unknown plant or perhaps to the early flowering of many species and to the bristly pappus of the developing seed, or to the puffy, grizzled appearance of the mature seed head.

Erigeron grandiflorus. Synonym: Erigeron simplex.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Alpine. Tundra. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, June 23, 2008.

Weber indicates that this dainty plant of the tundra is "uncommon or rare on tundra" in Colorado, but it is considered fairly common on Colorado tundra by John Kartesz in his Synthesis and the Flora of North America considers it fairly common in the Rockies. It appears that the disagreement is over splitting and lumping. Weber considers this species distinct from the much more common Erigeron simplex. The Synthesis and the FNA combine the two species into one, E. grandiflorus. Interestingly (or maddeningly) Intermountain Flora and Utah Flora also combine the two species but into E. simplex!

Split or lump, the plant is still lovely, grows only on tundra, is often minute, and is certainly a treat to find.

Erigeron grandiflorus was named by William Jackson Hooker in 1834 in his Flora Boreali-Americana.

Erigeron grandiflorus. Synonym: Erigeron simplex.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Alpine. Tundra. Summer.
Calico Trail, Papoose Peak, July 17, 2008.

These E. grandiflorus are nearly four inches tall, have purple hairs on their phyllaries, and have nearly glabrous (smooth, non-hairy) leaves. The plant in the top photograph is only an inch and a half tall, has white hairs on its phyllaries, and has minutely hairy leaves.

Erigeron grandiflorus. Synonym: Erigeron simplex.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Alpine. Tundra. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, June 23, 2008.

Erigeron grandiflorus. Synonym: Erigeron simplex.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Alpine. Tundra. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, June 23, 2008.
Calico Trail, Papoose Peak, July 17, 2008.

Weber indicates that E. grandiflorus has far more shaggy hairs than E. simplex. The hairs can range from shaggy white to shaggy purple.

Erigeron grandiflorus. Synonym: Erigeron simplex.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Alpine. Tundra. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, June 2 3, 2008.