Daisy Fleabane

Images

Click on image to view full size

Daisy fleabane

Daisy fleabane inflorescences

Daisy fleabane

Daisy fleabane

Daisy fleabane

Daisy fleabane inflorescences

Daisy fleabane

Daisy fleabane habit

Daisy fleabane leaf

Morphology

Stem

Erect, branched above, appressed-hairy.

Leaves

Alternate, few, simple, sessile, linear-lanceolate, 1.5 to 5 inches long, less than .5 inch wide, appressed-hairy; margins mostly entire; basal and lowest stem leaves tapering to slender stalks, spatulate, to 6 inches long, 1 inch wide; margins toothed to entire; sometimes absent at flowering.

Inflorescence

Heads, several to numerous, in wide-branching clusters, terminal.

Flower

Heads to 1 inch wide; bracts narrow, nearly equal; ray florets 40-100, about .25 inch long, white to rarely pinkish or bluish; disk florets numerous, yellow.

Fruit

Achenes, small, 2-nerved, those of disk florets tipped with inner series of fragile bristles and outer series of short scales; those of ray florets with only short scales; enclosing small seed.

Ecology

Habitat

Open dry or moist prairies, pastures, roadsides, and disturbed areas.

Distribution

Throughout Kansas.

Practical Information

Uses

Ancient Europeans believed that the odor of this genus repelled fleas, thus the name fleabane. This seems to have no basis in fact.

Additional Notes