Erigeron lonchophyllus
Short-rayed fleabane
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron lonchophyllus (Short-rayed fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by very short rays, raceme-like clusters, high elevation.
Short-rayed fleabane is a California native perennial herb found in the Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, and White and Inyo Mountains in meadows and creek banks at elevations of 1,800 to 3,550 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white ray flowers barely 2 to 3 millimeters long, which barely extend beyond the purple-tipped involucre. Growing with unbranched stems 4 to 20 centimeters tall, it has a fibrous root system and is sparsely to densely covered with soft bristly hairs. Its basal leaves range from 2 to 8 centimeters long, gradually becoming smaller and more linear toward the stem, with ciliate edges and sparse to spreading hairs. The plant forms clusters of 1 to 12 inconspicuous flower heads in a raceme-like arrangement, with involucres 4 to 7 millimeters tall.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species; key features are very short rays, raceme-like clusters, high elevation
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, creek banks
Elevation: 1800-3550 m
California counties: Inyo, Fresno, Mono, San Bernardino, Tulare, Tuolumne, Lassen, Contra Costa, Madera, Modoc, El Dorado, Mariposa, Kern, Alpine
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern Canada, New Mexico
Bloom period
Erigeron lonchophyllus blooms Jul-Aug.
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 lonchophyllus native to California?
Yes. Erigeron lonchophyllus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron lonchophyllus bloom?
Erigeron lonchophyllus blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Erigeron lonchophyllus grow?
Erigeron lonchophyllus occurs in Inyo, Fresno, Mono, San Bernardino, Tulare, Tuolumne, Lassen, Contra Costa and other counties, at elevations of 1800-3550 m.
What plant family does Erigeron lonchophyllus belong to?
Erigeron lonchophyllus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron lonchophyllus grow in?
Erigeron lonchophyllus grows in Meadows, creek banks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.