Erigeron supplex
Encyclopedia
Erigeron supplex is a rare species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name supple daisy. It is endemic to the coastline of northern California
, where it probably remains only in Sonoma
and Marin Counties
. It grows in the scrub of coastal bluffs and grasslands. This is a perennial
herb producing an unbranched, hairy, erect stem up to 40 centimeters tall. It is surrounded at the base by oval-shaped leaves several centimeters long. The inflorescence
is generally a single flower head
one or two centimeters wide containing yellow disc florets and no 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 name supple daisy. It is endemic to the coastline of northern 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 probably remains only in Sonoma
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
and Marin Counties
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
. It grows in the scrub of coastal bluffs and grasslands. This is a perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
herb producing an unbranched, hairy, erect stem up to 40 centimeters tall. It is surrounded at the base by oval-shaped leaves several centimeters long. 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 generally a single flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
one or two centimeters wide containing yellow disc florets and no 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.