Western fleabane

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Western fleabane

Western fleabane habit

Western fleabane

Western fleabane leaf

Western fleabane

Western fleabane phyllaries

Western fleabane

Western fleabane

Western fleabane

Morphology

Stem

Ascending to erect, much-branched from base, not producing prostrate runners, hirsute with antrorsely curved hairs.

Leaves

Basal and cauline, basal often withering early; basal blade spatulate to oblanceolate or linear, 2/5 to 3.2 inches long, 1/12 to 3/5 inch wide, margins usually entire, rarely obscurely serrate, surfaces sparsely strigose, eglandular; cauline gradually reduced above, base tapered.

Inflorescence

Heads 1-15, radiate. Involucres turbinate to hemispheric, 1/8 to 1/5 inch tall, 1/4 to 2/5 inch wide. Phyllaries in 2-4 series, green, narrowly oblanceolate to linear, hispid, minutely glandular, apex erect.

Flower

Ray florets 20-70; corolla white, sometimes tinged lavender or light blue, ligule 1/6 to 1/3 inch. Disc corollas numerous, yellow, tubular, 1/12 to 1/8 inch, lobes 5.

Fruit

Achenes oblong, flattened, 1/25 to 1/12 inch, sparsely strigose; pappus of outer series cartilaginous crowns, inner series 15-18 barbellate bristles.

Ecology

Habitat

Sand and sandsage prairies, sand dunes, sandy roadsides and pastures, flood plains.

Distribution

Principally the southwest quarter of Kansas

Additional Notes