Erigeron sanctarum
Encyclopedia
Erigeron sanctarum is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common names saints fleabane and saints daisy. It is endemic to California
, where it is known from San Luis Obispo
and Santa Barbara Counties
and two of the Channel Islands
. It grows in coastal and inland chaparral
and oak woodland, and sandy coastal scrub habitat. It is a perennial herb producing an upright stem up to 40 centimeters long surrounded at the base by spoon-shaped or oblong leaves a few centimeters long. There are smaller, narrower leaves along the lower part of the stem. The inflorescence
is one or more flower heads
lined with hairy phyllaries
. The head has a center of yellow disc florets and a fringe of many curling blue or lavender ray florets. The fruit is an achene
with a pappus
of bristles.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common names saints fleabane and saints daisy. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known from San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
and Santa Barbara Counties
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
and two of the Channel Islands
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. It grows in coastal and inland chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
and oak woodland, and sandy coastal scrub habitat. It is a perennial herb producing an upright stem up to 40 centimeters long surrounded at the base by spoon-shaped or oblong leaves a few centimeters long. There are smaller, narrower leaves along the lower part of the stem. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is one or more flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
lined with hairy phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
. The head has a center of yellow disc florets and a fringe of many curling blue or lavender ray florets. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
with a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of bristles.