| Erigerons,
commonly called "Daisies" or "Fleabanes", are a large and complex genus
with several dozen species common in the Four Corners area. Erigerons
have yellow disk flowers and numerous narrow ray flowers that are white, pink, or purple
(but not yellow). They grow from the semi-desert to the subalpine regions and although a few are uncommon, most are very common.
In 1753 Linnaeus gave the genus its name from the Greek "eri" ("early") + "geron" ("old man", as in "geriatrics", the study of old age processes and problems). Perhaps the Greek name refers to characteristics of some now unknown plant or perhaps it refers to the early flowering of many species and to the bristly pappus of the developing seed, or perhaps to the puffy, grizzled appearance of the mature seed head. |
|
Erigeron elatior (Daisy) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Subalpine.
Meadows. Summer. Erigeron elatior has nodding, wooly, pink-tinged flower buds
and flowers with numerous very light lavender ray flowers.
The leaves and stems are also hairy but not nearly as hairy as the buds and underside of the flower head. The plant tends to grow in clusters making it very eye-catching. Leaves are usually light green and broader at the base than at the tapering and pointed tip. "Elatior" is from the Latin for "tall". Charles Parry collected this Erigeron in Colorado in 1861 and Asa Gray named it Erigeron grandiflorum variety elatius in 1862. Edwin Greene gave it its present name in 1897. |
Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state
Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Eradicated
Questionable presence