Tall fleabane

Erigeron grandiflorus Hooker var. elatior A. Gray, Amer. J. Sci. Arts, ser. 2, 33: 237. 1862 (as grandiflorum var. elatius)

Perennials, 20–60 cm; rhizomatous, fibrous-rooted, rhizomes woody, relatively thick. Stems erect, sparsely to moderately villous, minutely glandular. Leaves mostly cauline (basal not persistent); proximal blades 1-nerved obovate, becoming ovate to ovate-lanceolate distally, (20–)30–90 × 5–25 mm, nearly equal-sized and evenly distributed distally (bases clasping), margins entire (apices acute), faces sparsely to moderately hirsuto-villous. Heads 1(–6). Involucres 7–12 × 13–20 mm. Phyllaries in 2–4 series (linear, apices commonly spreading-reflexing), densely villoso-lanate (hair cross walls reddish to purple), minutely glandular. Ray florets 75–150; corollas pink to rose-purple, 10–20 mm, laminae coiling. Disc corollas 4–5.5 mm. Cypselae 2–2.2 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of setae or setiform scales, inner of 15–20 bristles. 2n = 18.

Flowering Jul–Sep. Mountain brush, alpine and subalpine meadows, openings in spruce-fir; 2400–3800 m; Colo., N.Mex., Utah, Wyo.