Robin's Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus)
- Family: Aster (Asteraceae)
- Flowering: April-June.
- Field Marks: This fleabane differs from others by its
fewer rays (about 50-60) per head which are longer than the rays
of other species.
- Habitat: Along streams.
- Habit: Perennial herb with creeping stolons.
- Stems: Erect, sometimes branched, hairy, up to 1 1/2
feet tall.
- Leaves: Alternate and basal, simple, hairy, the basal
leaves oblanceolate to obovate, rounded to short-pointed at the
tip, tapering to the base, toothed, up to 6 inches long, up to 2
1/2 inches broad, the leaves on the stem lanceolate, pointed at
the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, toothed, smaller than
the basal leaves.
- Flowers: Many crowded into a head with 1 to a few
heads per plant, each head up to 2 1/2 inches across and
subtended by narrow, hairy, green bracts; the outer flowers about
50-60, white and ray-like; the inner yellow, tubular, forming a
disk.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: Some white, narrow, ray-like, up to 1 inch
long, others yellow, 5-parted, forming a disk.
- Stamens: 5.
- Pistils: Ovary inferior, hairy.
- Fruits: Achenes greenish-brown, shiny, 1/20-1/10 inch
long, with a tuft of white hairs.
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