Erigeron asper
 
Rough Fleabane

Lowest Stem Leaf Bottom

Lake Audy in Riding Mountain National Park
24-June-2010

Note that Flora of Alberta identifies this species as Erigeron glabellus ssp. pubescens, and it is the answers leading to this subspecies from the Flora of Alberta that are listed below, along with the answers from Budd's Flora.

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Asper: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants with caudex, no taproot; NOT [plants with thick taproot] (BF)

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plants NOT producing leafy stolons (FOA)

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plants usually more than 20 cm high; NOT [plants usually less than 20 cm high] (BF)

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plants generally green; NOT [plants generally greyish to dark olive-green] (FOA)

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basal rosette often not present; NOT [basal rosette generally present] (FOA)

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NOT [basal leaves lobed or toothed, occasionally entire] (FOA)

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basal leaves not 3-nerved; NOT [basal leaves frequently 3-nerved] (FOA)

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stem leaves usually 5-7; NOT [stem leaves usually more than 10] (BF)

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stem leafiest basally; NOT [stem leafiest about the middle] (FOA)

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cauline leaves markedly reduced in size upwards; NOT [cauline leaves often not markedly reduced in size upwards], NOT [stem leaves at middle of stem longer than those below or above], NOT [stem leaves all about 2 mm wide]  (BF,FOA)

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leaves lanceolate to oblanceolate or spatulate; NOT [leaves linear to oblanceolate] (FOA)

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NOT [cauline leaves auriculate-clasping] (FOA)

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leaves more or less entire, not dissected, trifid or lobed at the apex; NOT [leaves dissected, or at least some trifid or lobed at the apex] (FOA)

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leaves more than 3 mm wide; NOT [leaves 1-3 mm wide] (FOA)

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cauline leaves less than 1 cm wide; NOT [cauline leaves mostly 1-2 cm wide] (FOA)

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leaves scabrous or pilose on both sides; NOT [leaves glabrous below, lightly pubescent above] (BF)

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leaves pubescent; NOT [leaves essentially glabrous above and below] (FOA)

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leaves lacking depressed, pubescent veins; NOT [leaves with depressed, usually pubescent veins] (FOA)

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heads usually more than one; NOT [head solitary] (FOA)

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peduncles straight; NOT [peduncles arcuate] (FOA)

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involucre at least 6 mm high; NOT [involucre 4-5 mm high] (FOA)

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involucres NOT woolly-villose (FOA)

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involucre NOT glandular (FOA)

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NOT [involucre deep purple; densely villous, the hairs with purple septa] (FOA)

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rays present, longer than 5 mm; NOT [rays absent, inconspicuous or short, not more than 5 mm long] (FOA)

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rays usually less than 1 mm wide; NOT [rays about 2 mm wide] (FOA)

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ray florets white; NOT [ray florets colored], NOT [ray florets yellow] (BF,FOA)

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rays usually drying pink or purplish; NOT [rays usually drying white or yellowish] (FOA)

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ray florets with a normal pappus; NOT [ray florets with a minute pappus] (BF)

 

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Erigeron: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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NOT [basal leaves mostly 1-6 cm long, linear to oblanceolate or spatulate, forming a dense rosette; plants with a well-developed taproot; and either densely caespitose, seldom more than 5 cm tall, the heads sessile among the leaves, or with stout, simple stems, 5-15 (25) cm tall, heads solitary, involucres 2-4 cm wide, bracts ciliate to pectinate or fimbriate, rays blue and achenes densely pubescent, obovate to triangular] (FOA)

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juice watery; NOT [juice milky] (FOA)

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plants usually with leafy stems; NOT [plants low, stemless, tufted] (BF)

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basal leaves not cordate or sagittate (FOA)

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leaves alternate or basal; NOT [leaves opposite] (FOA)

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leaves appearing before the flowers; NOT [leaves appearing after the flowers] (BF)

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leaves not extending beyond flowers; NOT [leaves usually extending beyond the flowers] (BF)

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involucral bracts subequal or more or less imbricate, often green in part, but neither definitely leafy nor with chartaceous base and herbaceous green tip; NOT [involucral bracts either subequal and the outer leafy or more commonly evidently imbricate, with chartaceous base and evident green tip, sometimes chartaceous throughout] (FOA)

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bracts in 1 or 2 series; NOT [bracts in several series] (BF)

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receptacle naked (FOA)

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flower heads with florets both tubular and ray (BF)

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ligulate flowers when present pistillate or neuter; NOT [ligulate flowers perfect] (FOA)

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ray florets conspicuous (BF)

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ray florets 50 or more; NOT [ray florets 10-50] (BF)

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rays white, to pink, purple or blue; NOT [rays yellow or orange] (FOA)

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stamens united to form a tube around the pistil (BF)

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style branches 0.5 mm long or less, or obsolete; NOT [style-branches ordinarily more than 0.5 mm long] (FOA)

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style branches lanceolate or broader; NOT [style-branches lanceolate or narrower] (FOA)

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style branches acute or obtuse; NOT [styles branches acute or acuminate] (FOA)

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pappus composed of numerous hairs; NOT [pappus absent or composed of a few hairs], NOT [pappus of 1 or 2 short awns, a mere crown or none] (BF,FOA)