Erigeron breweri var. covillei
Coville erigeron
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jim Morefield · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron breweri var. covillei (Coville erigeron) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by key features: tall with thick base, thick-based ascending hairs on bracts.
Coville erigeron is a California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada (eastern slope), San Gabriel, San Bernardino, San Jacinto Mountains, and eastern Mojave Desert regions in open rocky sagebrush, chaparral, and juniper scrub at elevations of 1,000 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white daisy-like flowers in clusters with delicate ray petals. Growing with sturdy stems 30 to 75 centimeters tall and a thickened base, it develops an open, somewhat branching habit. Its leaves are moderately sized, 15 to 30 millimeters long, with very fine, short hairs less than half a millimeter in length. The plant's inflorescence is characterized by white, thick-based phyllary hairs that ascend and become less dense toward the middle and inner phyllaries.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 39 sympatric species; key features: tall with thick base, thick-based ascending hairs on bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky sagebrush, chaparral, juniper scrub
Elevation: +- 1000-1900 m.
Bloom period
Erigeron breweri var. covillei blooms May-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Bellis: Erigeron has double-layered pappus (outer scales + inner bristles); Bellis completely lacks pappus.; vs Symphyotrichum: Erigeron has double pappus (2 layers); Symphyotrichum has single layer of uniform bristles.; vs Corethrogyne: Erigeron has simple unbranched stems; Corethrogyne has branched stems.; vs Pseudognaphalium: Erigeron has flat button-like flower heads; Pseudognaphalium has woolly clustered heads without rays.; vs Artemisia: Erigeron has obvious ray petals around yellow disk; Artemisia lacks ray petals entirely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Erigeron breweri var. covillei native to California?
Yes. Erigeron breweri var. covillei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron breweri var. covillei bloom?
Erigeron breweri var. covillei blooms May-Sep.
What plant family does Erigeron breweri var. covillei belong to?
Erigeron breweri var. covillei is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron breweri var. covillei grow in?
Erigeron breweri var. covillei grows in Open, rocky sagebrush, chaparral, juniper scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.