Maguire’s fleabane

Erigeron maguirei var. harrisonii S. L. Welsh

Perennials, 2–15(–28) cm; tap-rooted, caudex branches relatively short and thick. Stems ascending (greenish proximally), densely hirsute (hairs spreading), densely minutely glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline; basal blades oblanceolate-spatulate to spatulate (not folding), 20–50 × 3–8 mm (bases often abruptly contracted), margins entire (apices rounded to obtuse), faces densely hirsute to hispido-hirsute, minutely glandular; cauline blades becoming lanceolate, gradually reduced distally or unreduced until heads. Heads 1–5 (from distal branches). Involucres 5–6.5 × 7–11 mm. Phyllaries in 3–4 series, sparsely hirsute, densely minutely glandular. Ray florets 12–20; corollas white to pink, 6–8 mm, laminae spreading, not coiling or reflexing. Disc corollas 2.5–3 mm. Cypselae 1.8–2 mm, 2-nerved, faces hirsuto-villous; pappi: outer of setae or scales, inner of 13–25 bristles.

Flowering May–Jul. Sandy canyon bottoms, juniper or pinyon-juniper; of conservation concern; 1600–2200 m; Utah.

Erigeron maguirei is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.